|
Books > History > World history > BCE to 500 CE
|
Buy Now
The Last Pagans of Rome (Paperback)
Loot Price: R2,109
Discovery Miles 21 090
|
|
|
The Last Pagans of Rome (Paperback)
Expected to ship within 12 - 17 working days
|
Rufinus' vivid account of the battle between the Eastern Emperor
Theodosius and the Western usurper Eugenius by the River Frigidus
in 394 represents it as the final confrontation between paganism
and Christianity. It is indeed widely believed that a largely pagan
aristocracy remained a powerful and active force well into the
fifth century, sponsoring pagan literary circles, patronage of the
classics, and propaganda for the old cults in art and literature.
The main focus of much modern scholarship on the end of paganism in
the West has been on its supposed stubborn resistance to
Christianity. The dismantling of this romantic myth is one of the
main goals of Alan Cameron's book. Actually, the book argues,
Western paganism petered out much earlier and more rapidly than
hitherto assumed. The subject of this book is not the conversion of
the last pagans but rather the duration, nature, and consequences
of their survival. By re-examining the abundant textual evidence,
both Christian (Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Paulinus, Prudentius)
and "pagan" (Claudian, Macrobius, and Ammianus Marcellinus), as
well as the visual evidence (ivory diptychs, illuminated
manuscripts, silverware), Cameron shows that most of the activities
and artifacts previously identified as hallmarks of a pagan revival
were in fact just as important to the life of cultivated
Christians. Far from being a subversive activity designed to rally
pagans, the acceptance of classical literature, learning, and art
by most elite Christians may actually have helped the last
reluctant pagans to finally abandon the old cults and adopt
Christianity. The culmination of decades of research, The Last
Pagans of Rome overturns many long-held assumptions about pagan and
Christian culture in the late antique West.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
You might also like..
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
