'Jotischky's account is clear and thorough. It is enriched by a narrative of the documentable early history of the Order as well as by insightful comparisons with myth-making in the rival Orders.' -Robert Lerner, Times Literary Supplement'An invaluable contribution to Carmelite historiography. The Carmelites and Antiquity is a major contribution to Carmelite studies. It has grown out of an earlier work, The Perfection of Solitude (Penn University Press, 1996) and not only represents an awareness of Carmelite historical studies but also says something significant about the Order's self-awareness. It has much to offer the Carmelite Family in the twenty-first century for its own current growth in self-understanding.' -Wilfrid McGreal, O'Carm, Food For The Journey (Mount Carmel April-June 2003)When the Carmelite friars first settled in Europe in the thirteenth century, they were largely unknown. In order to compete with the more established orders of friars, the Carmelites constructed historical myths to explain their origins and identity.

This book examines the development of these traditions, and places them within the more general context of historical writing by religious orders in the later Middle Ages.