The Christians and the Roman Empire overturns the myth of an unrelenting persecution of the subversive, Christian ""outlaw."" Using contemporary sources and authentic documents - including imperial edicts and records of the deeds of non-legendary martyrs - Marta Sordi shows that the conflict was primarily religious and almost never political. The Christians actually continued to profess their loyalty to the Roman Empire during the periods of persecution, and the Empire, which almost never thought of the Christians as a threat to security, often found itself acting simply as the secular arm of religious authorities during these periods of social and cultural intolerance.

About the Author
Marta Sordi was a professor of Greek and Roman History at the Catholic University of Milan and an Italian specialist historian of antiquity.

Reviews
Sordi knows much about the early church and the Roman Empire. . . . She has given us a challenging book, well worth reading."" - American Historical Review

""A thought-provoking and valuable study . . . it belongs on the reading list of every student of the period."" - Classical Outlook



Book Information
ISBN 9780806126371
Author Marta Sordi
Format Paperback
Page Count 222
Imprint University of Oklahoma Press
Publisher University of Oklahoma Press
Weight(grams) 281g
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 140mm * 14mm