The pillar saint seen as a totally devoted emperor : the in-group around Symeon Stylites the elder
Most modern studies have treated Christian pillar saints as constituting one among many types of Christian sainthood that appeared in the first centuries of Christianity. In general, these studies have emphasized the similarities that connected pillar sainthood to other forms of Christian ascetic practice and performance, However, the ascetic practice of the stylites can also be seen as a form of