The objective is to examine the practices of sound, speech, and music among various religious communities in Late Antiquity within their historical, social, and ritual contexts; to enable students to evaluate sources concerning Jewish, Christian, traditional polytheistic, and early Islamic milieus in a comparative manner; and to develop students' skills in conducting evidence-based research into processes of religious identity, worship, transmission, and cultural interaction.

The periodization and cultural geography of Late Antiquity are explored, alongside issues concerning terminology and sources related to religious sonic practices. The study covers hymnodic and ceremonial practices within traditional cults; the vocalization of sacred texts and liturgical poetry in Jewish communities; and the role of psalms, hymns, and congregational participation in early Christianity. It examines specific religious texts and their performance contexts within Syriac-, Greek-, and Coptic-speaking Christian milieus, as well as the order of worship in monastic and urban churches, and the perspectives of religious authorities regarding sound, musical instruments, and performance. Furthermore, the recitation of the Quran, the call to prayer (adhan), and the sonic environments of the early Islamic period are evaluated within a comparative framework. Emphasis is placed on oral transmission, the relationship between text and melody, the significance of space, social participation, and intercultural interaction; the limitations of drawing inferences about the past from later sources are also discussed.