Pagans and Christians

By Robin Lane Fox ,

Book cover of Pagans and Christians

Book description

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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Why read it?

2 authors picked Pagans and Christians as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I first encountered Lane Fox when I was working on my dissertation in graduate school. Working on “Gentiles” in the New Testament, I had to thoroughly understand the historical background. This book became my “pagan Bible,” in effect. The first half fully details ancient concepts and rituals, and the second emphasizes which elements were absorbed by the rise of Christianity and which were rejected and why.

A wonderful evocation of the Roman world that emphasises the vibrant life of the Eastern half of the Mediterranean where Galen himself lived, studied, and travelled. It shows how the Roman Empire was more than just Rome.

From Vivian's list on Galen and Galenism.

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