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Abstract
During the reign of Claudius, in the eastern frontier region of the Roman Empire, a young Iconian woman named Thekla embraced the message of Christ as proclaimed by St. Paul, rejected traditional values and, after escaping martyrdom, embarked upon a life of compassionate service for others at Seleucia ad Calycadnum (present day Silifke, Turkey) and its environs. She took up residence a short distance from the city where consequently, a religious community developed at her sacred precinct. The site, known as Hagia Thekla, was a flourishing religious center and popular pilgrimage destination through the seventh century. After her life, Thekla was honored as a sainted miracle worker. Her story, as recorded in various texts including the Miracles of Thekla, has fired the imagination of the Christian Church almost from its inception.
This thesis provides the first English translation of the Miracles in their entirety which serves as an integral part of this dissertation the purpose of which is: 1) to situate Thekla in regard to her time and place in the development of the the early Church; 2) to address Thekla's significance for her devotees and other later Christians in terms of identity and self-actualization as evinced by text, site, and cult; and 3) to establish a touchpoint for future study that is consonant with the historical and textual record.
This study also provides a translation of the Myrtle Wood, challenges long-standing notions in regard to Thekla and the Miracles , argues for Thekla's historicity, introduces the significance of Queen Tryphaena, provides criteria for determining biblical reference, examines the legitimacy of Thekla's characterization as a proto-feminist, raises new questions, revisits early scholarship on Thekla, introduces supporting evidence from the historical record, incorporates Spanish scholarship on incubation and miracle collections, delineates Thekla's territory, and considers the meaning and significance of lexical items for interpretation of the evidence. A careful reading of the Miracles provides a deeper understanding of Thekla and opens a window onto early Eastern Christianity, its festivals, the practice of incubation, and faith healing. Ultimately, this study speaks to the interstices of narrative, history, faith, and identity.
