This article aims to survey the field of current historical research on the theme of virtue, and this field is found to be highly diverse and characterized by cross-disciplinary collaboration. The concept of virtue and systems of virtue ethics are relevant in a number of different types of research approaches. The most important of these include studies on political ideas and conceptions of society in broad terms, the history of religion, and gender studies. Among promising research problems, a prominent feature is the tenuous relationship between classical (pagan) philosophy and a Christian church and establishment, just like the related problem of man's sinfulness and evil nature, which seems to render worldly virtues irrelevant. However, this did not prevent it from remaining a highly significant concept through the 17th and 18th centuries. Finally, the author argues for a more developed use of sociological and conceptual history methodology in historical studies on virtue ethics.