Text, Kontext, Kontextualisierung

"Contextualisation" is generally held to be an indispensable instrument for analysing ancient works. Identifying something as a "context" involves providing an explanation for it that allows the contextualised text or fact to be appropriately understood. Thus, the decision to view something as a context is closely connected with the problem of correct interpretation. It is the aim of this volume to critically examine these two concepts and to initiate reflection on the methodology used. The volume starts by introducing three contextual concepts developed in the fields of cultural studies, linguistics and modern literary studies. A number of papers using Greek and Latin works as examples reflect on the meaning of "context", the ways of establishing relationships between texts and contexts, and the resulting potential for analysis and interpretation. The papers are divided into three sections that focus on how the term and concept of "context" is used in interpretations, on the problem of missing or multiple contexts, and on possible interfaces that the ancient works themselves provide between text and context(s).