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The Ecstatic Underground

Episode 10 of 30

Early Christians needed to be quiet - but often weren't. David Hendy explores the ecstatic sound-world of underground house churches in ancient Rome.

Christianity was just one of several cults that sprang up in ancient Rome. So the sound-world of the first Christians probably wasn't filled with the subdued voices, measured singing and solemn prayers that would later echo through the medieval churches and cathedrals of Western Europe. It was more Eastern in flavour - or more pagan.

Professor David Hendy explores the ecstatic soundscapes of underground house churches in ancient Rome.

30-part series made in collaboration with the British Library Sound Archive.

Producer: Matt Thompson.
A Rockethouse production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2013.

15 minutes

Last on

Sat 1 Jun 201902:15
BBC Radio 4 Extra

More episodes

Previous

The Roaring Crowd

Next

The Bells

See all episodes from Noise: A Human History

Broadcasts

  • Fri 29 Mar 201313:45
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 30 Oct 201514:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 31 Oct 201502:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 31 May 201914:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 1 Jun 201902:15
    BBC Radio 4 Extra

Noise retold by Matthew Herbert

Noise retold by Matthew Herbert

The head of the New Radiophonic Workshop retells the Noise series using only the sounds.