From mimes into martyrs: stories about conversion of the Roman actors
The article is devoted to the study of the group of martyrdom which tell about the conversion of the pagan actors during a theatrical performance of the anti-Christian mimes. The focus of the study are stories of Porphyry (275), Gelasinus or Gelasius (297), Ardalion (298) and Genesius (c. 303). The author believes that the basis of all of them are the real stories of martyrdom. Comic effect in these mimes achieved through verbal and visual means. Anti-Christian mimes were not a unique phenomenon, but quite fit into the ancient tradition ridicule of the Olympic or foreign gods, but when they were working together with other factors, they could shape attitude towards the religion of Christ.