"These Are Not Men": Sex and Drink in the Sermons of Caesarius of Arles

Abstract

Caesarius of Arles used the rhetoric of masculinity to combat the "problems" of sex and drink and to advance his vision of the ideal lay Christian community. He adapted established language and arguments to his own ends and constructed an uncompromising pastoral stance. Although his success in convincing his congregation is questionable, his approach reveals the complexity and variety of pastoral approaches in late antique Gaul and the role of gender in persuasive preaching.