{"id":12551,"date":"2026-10-27T09:38:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T08:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grk-byzanz-kriegskulturen.uni-mainz.de\/?page_id=12551"},"modified":"2026-10-27T09:38:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T08:38:00","slug":"michael-rapp","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/grk-byzanz-kriegskulturen.uni-mainz.de\/en\/michael-rapp\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Rapp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/jgu-base-pageheader>\n
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May 2021 \u2013 April 2024, associate member since then<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Doctoral Program in Research Training Group 2304, \u201cByzantium and the Euro-Mediterranean Cultures of War. Exchange, Differentiation and Reception,\u201d Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/p>\n\n

Title of the doctoral dissertation <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

(Not) a Language of Peace? \u2013 The Use of War Metaphors in Tertullian\u2019s Works<\/p>\n\n

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(Not) a Language of Peace? \u2013 The Use of War Metaphors in Tertullian\u2019s Works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A good soldier serves Christ, his emperor, who, having been so fully armed by the apostle, when<\/em> he hears<\/em>the trumpet call<\/em> of persecution, flees from the day of persecution!” (<\/em>Tert. fug.<\/em> 10.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fine soldier in the eyes of his Commander, Christ, is one who, even though he is so thoroughly<\/em> armed by the Apostle, turns away from his commander on the day of prosecution as soon as he hears the<\/em> trumpet of prosecution!<\/em>1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metaphorical description of the devout Christian as a soldier (miles Christi<\/em>) is a central rhetorical element in the writings of the early Latin church writer Tertullian (c. 155\u2013c. 220 CE). To what extent, however, did the Carthaginian author draw on Greek-Christian models\u2014such as Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Ephesians or early Christian Greek apologetics\u2014in developing this linguistic image? And to what extent does he draw upon the Latin linguistic system\u2014which was not yet firmly established in Christian texts\u2014as well as specifically Roman cultural (idealized) notions of war and soldiering to portray his miles<\/em> Christi<\/em> reshape them and thus adapt them to a Western audience as well as to various historical circumstances? This planned dissertation aims to explore these questions through, among other things, a detailed philological analysis of selected writings from Tertullian\u2019s body of work. In doing so, the study will also take into account the findings of modern cognitive-linguistic theories of metaphor, which provide valuable insights into the mode of operation and the rhetorical potential of such early Christian war imagery. Thus, the function of metaphorical expressions such as *bonus miles<\/em> Christi*<\/em> or *Christus imperator*<\/em> From a cognitive-linguistic perspective, this is by no means a matter of linguistic ornamentation. Rather, it is the projection\u2014evoked in the reader by such expressions\u2014of selected military virtues and duties onto the Christian that lends the image of the Christian soldier its true rhetorical power. On the one hand, the activation of such a projection enables the author to generate a desired perspective on the devout Christian as well as on various events and situations in his life. On the other hand, this also allows certain actions in these situations to be portrayed as particularly virtuous or necessary. For example, Tertullian\u2019s argument against fleeing during prosecution in the passage quoted at the beginning is based primarily on the fact that the author implicitly urges the reader to understand the situation of prosecution as a battle and, accordingly, to view fleeing as desertion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/sup> Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus: *Ad martyras*, *ad scapulam*, *de fuga in persecutione*, *de monogamia*, *de virginibus velandis*, *de pallio*. Works edited by Emil Kroymann. Published by Vinzenz Bulhart. *De paenitentia*. Edited by Philipp Borleffs, *Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani opera* 4, CSEL 76, Vienna 1957. My own translation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/jgu-base-section>\n

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May 2021 \u2013 April 2024,associate member since then<\/td>Doctoral program in Research Training Group 2304 \u201cByzantium and the Euro-Mediterranean Cultures of War. Exchange, Differentiation and Reception\u201d at Johannes Gutenberg University MainzSubject: Ancient HistoryTitle of the doctoral dissertation: (No) Language of Peace? \u2013 Supervision of the Use of<\/em> War Metaphors in the Works of Tertullian<\/em>Supervision: Prof. Dr. Marietta Horster, Prof. Dr. Heike Grieser<\/td><\/tr>
Sept. \/ 2021<\/td>Advanced Examination for the Bachelor’s\/Master\u2019s degree in Greek, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
Mar. \/ 2021 \u2013 Apr. 2021<\/td>Employees of the Scheuern Foundation (Nassau an der Lahn) who provide supervision for people with intellectual disabilities<\/td><\/tr>
Aug. \/ 2019 \u2013 Jan. \/ 2021<\/td>Teacher training in history and Latin at the State Teacher Education College for Gymnasium Teachers in Koblenz<\/td><\/tr>
Aug. \/ 2016 \u2013 Jan. \/ 2017<\/td>Erasmus semester abroad at the University of Turku (Turun yliopisto), Finland, studying history<\/td><\/tr>
Oct. \/ 2011 \u2013 July \/ 2018<\/td>The program of study included history and Latin (B.Ed. \/ M.Ed.) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
1991<\/td>born in Dahn<\/td><\/tr>
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Apr. \/ 2015 \u2013 Mar. \/ 2019<\/td>Student Assistant and Tutor in the Research Unit for Ancient History at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
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May 2021 \u2013 April 2024, associate member since then Doctoral Program in Research Training Group 2304, \u201cByzantium and the Euro-Mediterranean Cultures of War. Exchange, Differentiation and Reception,\u201d Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Title of the doctoral dissertation (Not) a Language of Peace? \u2013 The Use of War Metaphors in Tertullian\u2019s Works May 2021 \u2013 April 2024,associate … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12551","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"content_raw":"\n

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May 2021 \u2013 April 2024, associate member since then<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Doctoral Program in Research Training Group 2304, \u201cByzantium and the Euro-Mediterranean Cultures of War. Exchange, Differentiation and Reception,\u201d Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/p>\n\n

Title of the doctoral dissertation <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

(Not) a Language of Peace? \u2013 The Use of War Metaphors in Tertullian\u2019s Works<\/p>\n\n

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(Not) a Language of Peace? \u2013 The Use of War Metaphors in Tertullian\u2019s Works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A good soldier serves Christ, his emperor, who, having been so fully armed by the apostle, when<\/em> he hears<\/em>the trumpet call<\/em> of persecution, flees from the day of persecution!\" (<\/em>Tert. fug.<\/em> 10.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fine soldier in the eyes of his Commander, Christ, is one who, even though he is so thoroughly<\/em> armed by the Apostle, turns away from his commander on the day of prosecution as soon as he hears the<\/em> trumpet of prosecution!<\/em>1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metaphorical description of the devout Christian as a soldier (miles Christi<\/em>) is a central rhetorical element in the writings of the early Latin church writer Tertullian (c. 155\u2013c. 220 CE). To what extent, however, did the Carthaginian author draw on Greek-Christian models\u2014such as Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Ephesians or early Christian Greek apologetics\u2014in developing this linguistic image? And to what extent does he draw upon the Latin linguistic system\u2014which was not yet firmly established in Christian texts\u2014as well as specifically Roman cultural (idealized) notions of war and soldiering to portray his miles<\/em> Christi<\/em> reshape them and thus adapt them to a Western audience as well as to various historical circumstances? This planned dissertation aims to explore these questions through, among other things, a detailed philological analysis of selected writings from Tertullian\u2019s body of work. In doing so, the study will also take into account the findings of modern cognitive-linguistic theories of metaphor, which provide valuable insights into the mode of operation and the rhetorical potential of such early Christian war imagery. Thus, the function of metaphorical expressions such as *bonus miles<\/em> Christi*<\/em> or *Christus imperator*<\/em> From a cognitive-linguistic perspective, this is by no means a matter of linguistic ornamentation. Rather, it is the projection\u2014evoked in the reader by such expressions\u2014of selected military virtues and duties onto the Christian that lends the image of the Christian soldier its true rhetorical power. On the one hand, the activation of such a projection enables the author to generate a desired perspective on the devout Christian as well as on various events and situations in his life. On the other hand, this also allows certain actions in these situations to be portrayed as particularly virtuous or necessary. For example, Tertullian\u2019s argument against fleeing during prosecution in the passage quoted at the beginning is based primarily on the fact that the author implicitly urges the reader to understand the situation of prosecution as a battle and, accordingly, to view fleeing as desertion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1<\/sup> Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus: *Ad martyras*, *ad scapulam*, *de fuga in persecutione*, *de monogamia*, *de virginibus velandis*, *de pallio*. Works edited by Emil Kroymann. Published by Vinzenz Bulhart. *De paenitentia*. Edited by Philipp Borleffs, *Quinti Septimi Florentis Tertulliani opera* 4, CSEL 76, Vienna 1957. My own translation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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May 2021 \u2013 April 2024,associate member since then<\/td>Doctoral program in Research Training Group 2304 \u201cByzantium and the Euro-Mediterranean Cultures of War. Exchange, Differentiation and Reception\u201d at Johannes Gutenberg University MainzSubject: Ancient HistoryTitle of the doctoral dissertation: (No) Language of Peace? \u2013 Supervision of the Use of<\/em> War Metaphors in the Works of Tertullian<\/em>Supervision: Prof. Dr. Marietta Horster, Prof. Dr. Heike Grieser<\/td><\/tr>
Sept. \/ 2021<\/td>Advanced Examination for the Bachelor's\/Master\u2019s degree in Greek, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
Mar. \/ 2021 \u2013 Apr. 2021<\/td>Employees of the Scheuern Foundation (Nassau an der Lahn) who provide supervision for people with intellectual disabilities<\/td><\/tr>
Aug. \/ 2019 \u2013 Jan. \/ 2021<\/td>Teacher training in history and Latin at the State Teacher Education College for Gymnasium Teachers in Koblenz<\/td><\/tr>
Aug. \/ 2016 \u2013 Jan. \/ 2017<\/td>Erasmus semester abroad at the University of Turku (Turun yliopisto), Finland, studying history<\/td><\/tr>
Oct. \/ 2011 \u2013 July \/ 2018<\/td>The program of study included history and Latin (B.Ed. \/ M.Ed.) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
1991<\/td>born in Dahn<\/td><\/tr>
<\/td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
Apr. \/ 2015 \u2013 Mar. \/ 2019<\/td>Student Assistant and Tutor in the Research Unit for Ancient History at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz<\/td><\/tr>
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