Walking Corpses

Leprosy in Byzantium and the Medieval West

By: Timothy S. Miller, John W. Nesbitt

Write A Review

Paperback | 15 May 2023

At a Glance

Paperback
282 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6

Paperback

$89.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $22.50 with

or

Ships in 5 to 10 business days

In Walking Corpses, Timothy S. Miller and John W. Nesbitt contextualize reactions to leprosy in medieval Western Europe by tracing its history in Late Antique Byzantium, which had been confronting leprosy and its effects for centuries.

Integrating developments in both the Latin West and the Greek East, Walking Corpses challenges a number of misperceptions about attitudes toward the disease, including that theologians branded leprosy as punishment for sin (rather, it was seen as a mark of God's favor); that Christian teaching encouraged bans on the afflicted from society (in actuality, it was Germanic customary law); or that leprosariums were prisons (instead, they were centers of care, many of them self-governing). Informed by extensive archival research and recent bioarchaeology, Walking Corpses also includes new translations of three Greek texts regarding leprosy, while a new preface to the paperback edition updates the historiography on medieval perceptions and treatments of leprosy.

Industry Reviews

A very readable introduction to a fascinating subject and a valuable example of the importance of studying the Byzantine origins of medieval institutions.

* Church History *

This is a compact, accessible study, which delivers on its promise to bring the insights provided by studies of late antique Greek leprosy to bear on medieval Latin ones.

* History of Religions *

A welcome resource for the teaching of medieval leprosy, a fraught and fascinating topic in undergraduate classrooms. Walking Corpses both expands the field of study and shows directions in which this necessary endeavor can be continued.

* Comitatus *

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.