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Pagans and Christians Paperback – January 1, 1988

by Robin Lane Fox (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings
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Explores the character of early Christianity, with details on religious life, secular daily life, and the condition of paganism at the time of its defeat
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  1. Print length
    800 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1988
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 2.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0060628529
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0060628529
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Re-creates the world from the second to the fourth century AD, when the Graeco-Roman gods lost their dominion and Christianity, with the conversion of Constantine, triumphed in the Mediterranean world.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins (January 1, 1988)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 800 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060628529
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060628529
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.45 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 2.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

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Robin Lane Fox

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
46 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Russell L. Windle
5.0 out of 5 stars Pagans and Christians - How the Christian Church Learned
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2002
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I came away from reading this wonderful book with a feeling of "those sly dogs" refering to the Christians. After reading this book your eyes will be opened to how everything we accept as truth today has a very spotted past. The book describes how the Christian Church learned from their Pagan past how to manipulate its flock. A practice that goes on to this day. The exegete, Mr. Fox digs up the dirt so to speak on the most pius of institutions. The book is vast and very detailed. Not one to pick up for mindless Christian entertainment. You might just learn the flawed truth about our most hallowed institutions and be set free. This is not a book for fundamentalist and will be damned by them.
It was interesting to find out that the early church was not prosectuted for it faith...A lession the church has learned to use today on those they consider "unsavory". I came away with the impression that the Christian church today is and was no better than the pagans it drew most of their traditions from.
13 people found this helpful
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Baraniecki Mark Stuart
4.0 out of 5 stars RLF explains the growth of Christianity in the late Roman Empire
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2011
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This is my third book by Robin Lane Fox and I read it through my respect for his scholarship regarding the ancient world and curiosity as to how classical religion disappeared so completely (and Christianity flourished) in the lands of the ex Roman Empire.

He doesn't retreat from a complex subject, and evaluates the value of varied sources to build a slow and careful picture of events as they unfolded in the first three centuries after the birth of Christ. The overall work has a more academic feeling than for example his excellent "The Classical World" and it does require a fairly high reader commitment, but the reward is undoubtedly a better understanding of this major turning point in history.

The classical world system was breaking apart, and a new Christianity based world view was replacing it in Europe and the Middle East. It would later fade in the south when confronted by a militant Islam but continue to grow throughout Europe and provide the basis for the first proto European states, not to mention the first European settlements in America.

He provides interesting contrasts between late classical religion and early Christianity showing for example the solidity of early Christianity with its bishops, scriptures, moral rectitude and discipline, contrasting it with a rather hazy and sleazy late classicism with its money making cults, sale of priest hoods, divine emperors and absence of guilt or an afterlife. The general decadence of classical religion was a world away from the centuries earlier works of Homer but as RLF shows,,the Odyssey and the Iliad were more like evidence of an ongoing religion rather than scriptures in themselves and they portrayed rather capricious gods that were not so straightforward as a single Christian divinity.

He relates the multitude of problems that afflicted the Late Empire such as inflation, corruption, barbarian invasions and a general decline in art with the 2nd and 3rd century inscriptions on shrines by local notables being replaced almost exclusively from the mid 3rd century by inscriptions by central Roman governors and high officials.

The appearance of the first Christian emperor (Constantine) in 340A.D. is seen as a major turning point with his attribution of his military victories to his belief in a Christian God - in fact in a rather similar fashion to the Classical emperors with respect to their own warlike Gods.

Overall I found this a worthwhile book that did need a good deal of patience.
6 people found this helpful
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S. Pactor
5.0 out of 5 stars A Long Tour De Force
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2009
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I was reading Fox's recent "Traveling Heroes" and really enjoying it. As it turned out, I already had Pagans and Christians on the shelf, had started it years ago, and never finished. My book mark had even stayed in the position I left it. Reinvigorated by Traveling Heroes, I went back to Pagans and Christians and started over from the beginning. I agree with other reviewers- this book is maybe the best book on the subject ever written. My only (small) criticism, is that Pagans and Christians feels about 100 pages too long. It's really hard for me to criticize such an amazing accomplishment, but I did feel like certain passages went over long. This is a very interesting subject, and a must for anyone who seeks command of major issues in world history.
7 people found this helpful
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funner things
5.0 out of 5 stars Religious beliefs in the same cultural context
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2018
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Pagans and Christians compares parallel religious traditions within the context of the cultures of Rome and Greece during the first several centuries of the common era. The book, which is written in a scholarly style, presumes a basic knowledge of both cultures. It does not describe an active competition between Christians and Pagans as much as how both groups coexist within changing beliefs, political pressures, peace and war, economic and social challenges, and so on. If you love long books about the the historical development of thought and beliefs over time, Christians and Pagans is for you. It is fascinating, clearly written, nourishes the mind, teaches Jeopardish facts such as miming chapters from the Odessey was popular entertainment, and so on. If your preference is casual reading or expanding faith, there are much better choices.
3 people found this helpful
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T. Dodge
5.0 out of 5 stars Clashing Epiphanies - Zeus and Friends versus The Word
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2006
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As a commoner and nascent tourist I visited Western Turkey earlier this Spring (2006). One of the tour highlights was a stop at Sardis. Immediately alongside the remains of the Temple of Artemis are the ruins of the Church of St. John. Two utterly contrasting worlds - a mixed scene of palatial pagan columns and common Christian brick rubble. The architectural contrast shocks the senses, living the struggles shocked the Western world. This incredible story is probed and poked by R.L. Fox in his magnificent book "Pagans and Christians".

For thought-provoking content, I give "Pagans and Christians" full 5 stars; for ease of reading, others have adequately expressed my concurring sentiments. Fox will likely make you think long and hard about long ignored facts. Read it closely and then return to it again and again for advancing insights buried within the hundreds of resting places provided by R.L. Fox in this monumental work.
12 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

M. Dean
5.0 out of 5 stars ... and very detailed study of one of the world's great turning points
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 1, 2015
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This is a long and very detailed study of one of the world's great turning points: the almost complete rejection of the classical gods by the emperor Constantine and his adoption of Christianity for himself and his empire. It is absolutely fascinating, full of glimpses of what life was like for people who truly believed their gods were everywhere and influenced every aspect of their life; and the newly founded cult of Christianity, which was just one of many that flourished around the Mediterranean at the time. You get a real sense of how the gods were woven into the fabric of society and the operating systems of how they were consulted and their advise used is intriguing.
The author takes a determinedly impartial path and it is not possible to detect his views on the respective merits of each set of beliefs. yet one is left with the impression that he lingers more lovingly over the details of the Hellenistic gods which seem to be imbued with sunlight as opposed to his rather detached treatment of the Christians.
Alas so much information has now been lost, or not yet found, to finally explain why Constantine rejected a system of belief that was seemingly in good health and converted to Christianity. He just seems to have had a dream where saw a symbol in the clouds, he inscribed it onto his troops shields and won Rome. The empire than adopted Christianity as its principal religion - eventually loosing its tolerant attitudes to other religions and beliefs. They tortured the old gods prophets and destroyed their places of worship and eventually they just disappeared.
3 people found this helpful
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Richard
5.0 out of 5 stars Christianity in the Roman Empire is my current area of ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2018
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Christianity in the Roman Empire is my current area of research and this author provides a lot of the answers to questions that I have. Thank you.
One person found this helpful
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Joseph Chua Thian Poh
3.0 out of 5 stars Just received it... will read it soon ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2016
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Just received it...will read it soon.
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D. J. Favager
2.0 out of 5 stars Too heavy going
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2015
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This book is far too heavy going - I tried twice and gave up twice - I doubt I will ever finish it. Some interesting information but just overwhelming in detail. Ought to be a fascinating topic but is just boring.
One person found this helpful
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