ABSTRACT
Introduction During late Antiquity, with the rise of Christianity, asceticism started to gain increasing popularity as an alternative lifestyle, vocation, and family strategy. From the 3rd century ce, monasticism had a great influence on the shaping of the new religious and intellectual culture of Europe. The early monasteries, first in Egypt and later elsewhere, became centres for healing, and they had important roles in the economy of their areas (see e.g. Crislip 2005: esp. 1-38; Dunn 2003; Harmless 2004; Kardong 2010; Layton, 2014; Leyerle and Young 2013; de Vogüé 1991-2008; Vuolanto 2015).
