Hagith Sivan offers an unconventional study of one corner of the Roman Empire in late antiquity, weaving around the theme of conflict strands of distinct histories, and of peoples and places, highlighting Palestine's polyethnicity, and cultural, topographical, architectural, and religious diversity. During the period 300-650 CE the fortunes of the 'east' and the 'west' were intimately linked. Thousands of westerners in the guise of pilgrims, pious monks, soldiers, and civilians flocked to what became a Christian holy land. This is the era that witnessed the transformation of Jerusalem from a sleepy Roman town built on the ruins of spectacular Herodian Jerusalem into an international centre of Christianity and ultimately into a centre of Islamic worship. It was also a period of unparalleled prosperity for the frontier zones, and a time when religious experts were actively engaged in guiding their communities while contesting each other's rights to the Bible and its interpretation.

About the Author
Hagith Sivan is Associate Professor at the University of Kansas.

Reviews
highly readable and attractive book * Sivan, The Classical Review *
a most useful, stimulating and comprehensive picture of a dramatic period in a country of central ideological importance to this day... author is to be congratulated * Jan Retsoe, JRAS *
Sivan is to be particularly commended for having adopted, throughout this book, a resolutely panoramic vision. She makes us look at everything and everybody. * Peter Brown, New York Review of Books *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199284177
Author Hagith Sivan
Format Hardback
Page Count 464
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 695g
Dimensions(mm) 223mm * 145mm * 34mm