The discovery of inscriptions and the legitimation of new cults

This chapter focuses on the discovery of allegedly 'old' inscriptions in pagan and Christian antiquity. The forgeries were supposed to be antique and sacred, and aimed at legitimising new cults. Although a pagan practice, it was also adopted by the Christians, as they wanted to reuse temples as churches. The use of pseudo-pagan ex eventu prophecies contrasts with the well-known politics of destruction of pagan religious buildings by Christian authorities.SCOPUS: ch.b