Alberto D'Incà: Forma feminarum. "Feminine" ideas in III century Christian North Africa: an occasion to rethink Commodian origins

The studies about Commodian origins reached disparate results. On the one hand, the poet's provenance has been placed in the Syriac area (considering both the author's "nomen Gasei" and the Jewish influences on his thought), on the other, in the IV-V century Gaul (thanks to Gennadius of Marseilles’ reference) or in the Roman background of the III century (in light of monarchian leanings of Commodian christology). It seems possible, however, to reconsider the matter by placing Commodian's works in Christian Africa during the III century, starting from the close relationship between his thought about the idea of "feminine" and Tertullian one. A comparison between Commodian and Tertullian, for example, reveals an identical point of view about the origins of evil: ideed, both use the (Enochic) scheme of sin caused by the union of the fallen angels with human women (e.g. Instructiones 1,3,1-6 and Apologeticum 22,3-4; De cultu feminarum 1,3,1; De idolatria 9,1; De virginibus velandis 7,2). Tertullian, moreover, blames the rebellious angels for having created female ornaments (e.g. De cultu feminarum 2,10,2); Commodian, likewise, accuses Christian women of having replaced Psalms reading with love songs (e.g. Instructiones 2,15,16-18). We could suppose that Commodian reflection – which also offers a vivid example of his Christian community liturgical habits – discloses Cyprian of Carthage's warnings against those believers (women?) who prefer "illicit" songs to "licit" songs (De habitu virginum 11) and who, consequently, yield to devil's assaults (De zelo et livore 2).