Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity

In the third century AD, the Roman empire encompassed an enormous diversity of religious practices and creeds; by the sixth century, one of those creeds - Christianity - had become the dominant religious force in the Mediterranean world, providing a vital thread of continuity and stability as antiq [...]
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In the third century AD, the Roman empire encompassed an enormous diversity of religious practices and creeds; by the sixth century, one of those creeds - Christianity - had become the dominant religious force in the Mediterranean world, providing a vital thread of continuity and stability as antiquity gave way to the middle ages. A.D. Lee uses translated extracts from contemporary sources, and related material evidence, to document this process. The volume examines the fortunes of pagans and Christians from the upheavals of the third century, to the increasingly tumultuous times of the fifth and sixth centuries which witnessed the demise of the western empire and the survival of the eastern half. It also explores the fate of other significant religious groups - Jews, Zoroastrians, and Manichaeans - and illustrates a number of important themes in late antique Christianity, such as the growth of monasticism, the emerging power of bishops, and the development of pilgrimage. Each extract or item is accompanied by a clear explanation of its context and significance and by guidance on further reading.By presenting contemporary material in this way, Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity forms the ideal introduction to a period and subject full of interest.