Read more
A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity examines the social and cultural landscape of the Late Antique Mediterranean. The text offers a picture of everyday life as it was lived in the spaces around and between two of the most memorable and towering figures of the time--Constantine and Muhammad. The author captures the period using a wide-lens, including Persian material from the mid third century through Umayyad material of the mid eighth century C.E. The book offers a rich picture of Late Antique life that is not just focused on Rome, Constantinople, or Christianity.
This important resource uses nuanced terms to talk about complex issues and fills a gap in the literature by surveying major themes such as power, gender, community, cities, politics, law, art and architecture, and literary culture. The book is richly illustrated and filled with maps, lists of rulers and key events. A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity is an essential guide that:
* Paints a rich picture of daily life in Late Antique that is not simply centered on Rome, Constantinople, or Christianity
* Balances a thematic approach with rigorous attention to chronology
* Stresses the need for appreciating both sources and methods in the study of Late Antique history
* Offers a sophisticated model for investigating daily life and the complexities of individual and group identity in the rapidly changing Mediterranean world
* Includes useful maps, city plans, timelines, and suggestions for further reading
A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity offers an examination of everyday life in the era when adherents of three of the major religions of today--Christianity, Judaism, and Islam--faced each other for the first time in the same environment.
About the author
Douglas Boin is Associate Professor in the Department of History at the Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of Ostia in Late Antiquity and Coming Out Christian in the Roman World.
Summary
A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity examines the social and cultural landscape of the Late Antique Mediterranean. The text offers a picture of everyday life as it was lived in the spaces around and between two of the most memorable and towering figures of the time--Constantine and Muhammad. The author captures the period using a wide-lens, including Persian material from the mid third century through Umayyad material of the mid eighth century C.E. The book offers a rich picture of Late Antique life that is not just focused on Rome, Constantinople, or Christianity.
This important resource uses nuanced terms to talk about complex issues and fills a gap in the literature by surveying major themes such as power, gender, community, cities, politics, law, art and architecture, and literary culture. The book is richly illustrated and filled with maps, lists of rulers and key events. A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity is an essential guide that:
* Paints a rich picture of daily life in Late Antique that is not simply centered on Rome, Constantinople, or Christianity
* Balances a thematic approach with rigorous attention to chronology
* Stresses the need for appreciating both sources and methods in the study of Late Antique history
* Offers a sophisticated model for investigating daily life and the complexities of individual and group identity in the rapidly changing Mediterranean world
* Includes useful maps, city plans, timelines, and suggestions for further reading
A Social and Cultural History of Late Antiquity offers an examination of everyday life in the era when adherents of three of the major religions of today--Christianity, Judaism, and Islam--faced each other for the first time in the same environment.
Report
"As a textbook, this book is ambitious. No other book that covers late antiquity is quite like it. The writing style throughout is chatty and encouraging, making this a wonderful guide for any high school Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum or introductory undergraduate history of late antiquity class...Boin aims to make history not just about grand political moments but intimate moments as well. This intimacy comes across from focusing on people--fairly ordinary people or, at least, those generally unknown to non-specialists." - Dr. Margo L. Goldsmith, Chair of Women's Studies in Religion, Claremont Graduate University for Reading Religion
