Bibliographie complète

Historiography of ancient monastic trends has been deeply renewed during the recent years thanks to several conferences which put forward comparative and interdisciplinary approaches, some of them being specifically dedicated to female forms of religious life. Henceforth, scholars dissuade us to read the history of monasticism trough 'Benedictine glasses'. They invite us to take into account every type of sources - written, archaeological, iconographic, epigraphic. The interpretation of the written sources - monastic rules, but also hagiographical and diplomatic sources - has been nowadays deeply renewed. These recent works agree to give to early 'monasticism' a wider definition, taking into account the extreme diversity of the community forms of religious life attested in the West during this period. These works deserve to be continued further through comparative studies focused on precise problematics. This research project aims to explore how some communities tried to reconcile the practice of a monastic life with the service of an important sanctuary, and also how some ancient communities succeeded in holding firm through centuries, often with the support of powerful protectors.