The Spectacle of the End: The Theatricality of the Apocalypse and Its Questions for Today

About the Lecture:

Contemporary representations of the apocalypse emphasize the most spectacular and destructive aspects of the genre in a broad variety of media. This is in keeping with the original features of apocalyptic literature in the ancient Mediterranean space. One may actually argue that the pervasive theatricality that pervaded the Roman world also shaped and influenced in a very profound way the development of the apocalyptic imagination. Persistent spectacularization raises a host of questions for the massive redeployment of apocalyptic rhetoric and motives in the present time. Is the genre inextricably connected to the external contemplation of "sublime catastrophes?" On the contrary, is it possible to represent apocalypses in ways that provoke empathy on the part of their audiences? The lecture will address these questions by asking how the study of ancient apocalypticism and apocalyptic literature may help in dealing with contemporary problems.  

About the Speaker: 

Giovanni Bazzana’s research and teaching focus chiefly on the critical study of the early Christ movement and of early Christianity in the context of Second Temple Judaism and of ancient Mediterranean history, religions, and material cultures. Bazzana’s writing is centered on gospels and apocalypses (both those who became canonical and those that were ultimately excluded from the canon). The research on these texts is conducted in constant reference to the broader social, political, and economic developments that impacted the Mediterranean world between the Hellenistic period and Late Antiquity. Ultimately, any study of the past originates from interests and passions of the present. Thus, Bazzana’s work does not strive only to interrogate ancient texts and practices in order to address current issues, but it is mindful of the ways in which our understanding and even imaginations of antiquity are profoundly shaped by present concerns.

Sponsors and co-hosts: 

Department of Classical & Near Eastern Religions & Cultures 

This event is part of the Exploring Assumptions of Cultural History Series