Sviluppo e prime manifestazioni del monachesimo tra terraferma e isole: il caso italiano

This work outlines some developments in the early forms of monasticism on Italian islands before the pontificate of Gregorius Magnus. This phenomenon is known mostly through written documents, whereas archaeological data appear scarce and not easily understandable. Based on these sources, it has been established that monks deemed insular environments as the places closest to the precepts from Anthony the Great and the Desert Fathers. At this early stage, there was no clear distinction between hermitism and cenobitism; in fact, these two phenomena were closely related, almost interchangeable. The monks chose to live in places not entirely isolated but always connected to nearby settlements, and they often reoccupied pre-existing structures, according to archaeological data. Moreover, this phenomenon apparently concerned men only; women, if ever mentioned in sources, had just a role of material support to men’s religious life. On the other hand, bishops clearly exercised a control “at distance” on monks’ behaviours. Finally, a doctrinal component seemed to play a not secondary role in these life choices, as in many instances the leading exponents were mostly from the clergy, or in any case individuals deeply involved in defending the Roman orthodoxy.