GruntGod ep.8 with Christian Barthel

First Formation: Spiritual exercise for rank & file believers

What made soldiers standouts as monks, and how did their experience shape Christian asceticism? This episode explores the birth of communal monasticism, tracing how Pachomius transformed abandoned sites into thriving religious villages that contrasted with solitary desert hermits. Ancient historian Christian Barthel brings his expertise in late antiquity and Roman military institutions to show how these roots shaped the language, discipline, and traditions of early monastic communities. Learn more at https://pewpewhq.com/blog/gruntgod-ch8

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