'...Ibi et cor tuum' (Hier. ep. 22.30): Roman Christian topography and statements of Christian identity in Jerome

Arguing that Jerome’s famous dream (Ep. 22.30) constitutes a significant statement of authorial Christian identity this paper contextualises that passage within wider contemporary discourse. The intersection of Church politics and monumental building is examined, specifically the construction of S. Paolo fuori le mura and the development of a network of martyr shrines. Having established the extent to which Jerome’s dream engages with this Roman-Christian topography the paper will consider similarities between this passage and two others from Jerome’s epistolary canon, Epp. 22.26 and 60.18