OxTalks will soon move to the new Halo platform and will become 'Oxford Events.' There will be a need for an OxTalks freeze. This was previously planned for Friday 14th November – a new date will be shared as soon as it is available (full details will be available on the Staff Gateway).
In the meantime, the OxTalks site will remain active and events will continue to be published.
If staff have any questions about the Oxford Events launch, please contact halo@digital.ox.ac.uk
The presentation will explore the fragmentary Syriac text of the Martyrdom of Alexander and Theodulus, found in the Syriac manuscript of the British Library Add. 14,654 and the Syriac Yerevan fragment no. 7. It focuses on the dramatic dialogue between the steadfast Christian Alexander and the Roman Emperor Aurelian. Their confrontation centers on Alexander’s unwavering faith in the face of persecution, echoing the biblical motif of the fiery furnace where divine protection shields the faithful from destruction. Aurelian demands Alexander renounce his faith and reveal Christian secrets, but Alexander’s responses challenge the emperor’s authority and expose the limits of earthly power. The text, rich in biblical imagery and liturgical language—particularly the symbolism of fire as both a purifying and destructive force—highlights the power of faith in the face of oppression and the ultimate triumph of the Christian God.
