Ecclesiastical foundations in rural areas: some remarks about the Late Antique West (4^th-5^th centuries)

The problem of the christianization of the countryside has been examined since the 18^th century, mainly from the institutional point of view; the question was the origin of the organization of the Medieval parish, whose territorial structure was compared with the roman pagus system. In the last few decades a more critical appraisal of the written sources, new approaches to the spatial issues and archaeological discoveries have led to a different perspective, focused not only on the continuity but also on the transformations which took place between Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. This paper considers the very beginning of this process; by taking into account both written and archaeological sources it shows that in the 4^th-5^th centuries there is no evidence of a real programme of christianization of the countryside. The construction of cult buildings which mark the spread of Christianity is due in turn to the personal initiative of landowners, bishops and communities. Their localisation therefore, while corresponding to the different types of settlements in Late Antiquity, do not follow an evident, systematic pattern.