The course will broadly be divided in 5 blocks of lessons on the following topics:

1. Introduction, historical notions related to the topics of the course, dotrinal controversies and ecumenical councils, the documents of the early christianity (literary genres, texts, disciplines involved).

2. The Bible in the Late Antiquity: the formation of the canon, exegetical works, philological works and translations (with special attention to Origen and Jerome).

3. Early christian literature in Greek and Latin: Tertullian, Ireneaeus of Lyon, Ambrose of Milan; the Cappadocian Fathers (Basile of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianz, Gregory of Nissa), John Chrysostom

4. Philosophy and Theology: focus on Augustine of Hippo and Severinus Boethius

5. The medieval reception of the late ancient christian authors.