New archaeological discoveries have considerably enriched our understanding of the material and artistic culture of Gaza in Late Antiquity. However, new light also needs to be thrown on literary sources illustrating the history and culture of Gaza, especially the works of the Christian sophist and rhetor Procopius, active in the 5th and 6th centuries. These works, comprising a panegyric, seven declamations, two books describing works of art, and a number of fragments, have never been so underrated as they are at the present time. Yet they constitute a document of fundamental importance for the history of civilization in Gaza during a thousand years, for its topography, monuments, schools and religious cults.
This project aims to publish a complete critical edition of all extant rhetorical and oratorical writings by Procopius of Gaza. It is the first complete edition of all the speeches, and some of the texts have never been published before.