Prominent historian Ramsay MacMullen here offers a new perspective on the decline and fall of Rome. MacMullen argues that a key factor in Rome's fall was the steady loss of focus and control over government as its aims were thwarted for private gain…
Written by one of the foremost historians of the Roman Empire, this collection of both new and previously published essays forms a colorful picture of daily life in the Mediterranean world between A.D. 50 and 450. Here, for example, the author appli…
This study, first published in 1969, presents an astute and authoritative depiction of the cultural, religious and secular developments which shook the Roman world in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries AD, much of it under the auspices of the Empe…
The slaughter of animals for religious feasts, the tinkling of bells to ward off evil during holy rites, the custom of dancing in religious services-these and many other pagan practices persisted in the Christian church for hundreds of years after C…
In this original book, an eminent historian explores how early Christian doctrine was determined by majority vote in church councils during the third to sixth centuries. Ramsey MacMullen brings the reader directly into council chambers, where rank a…
In this study, Ramsay MacMullen steps aside from the well-worn path that previous scholars have trod to explore exactly how early Christian doctrines became official. Drawing on extensive verbatim stenographic records, he analyzes the ecumenical cou…
"MacMullen...has published several books in recent years which establish him, rightfully, as a leading social historian of the Roman Empire. The current volume exhibits many of the characteristics of its predecessors: the presentation of novel, revi…
""A vibrant account that puts flesh on the bare bones of early Roman history."" ---Celia Schultz, University of MichiganThe ancient Romans' story down to 264 B.C. can be made credible by stripping away their later myths and inventions to show how th…
The ancient Romans' story down to 264 B.C. can be made credible by stripping away their later myths and inventions to show how their national character shaped their destiny. After many generations of scholarly study, consensus is clear: the account…
Why we do what we do is a matter of great interest to everyone, and everyone seems to have had their say about it - philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, economists, and historians perhaps the most, case by case. Occasionally t…
"In this interesting and suggestive book, Professor MacMullen views anew an important and rather neglected aspect of Roman social relations. A perceptive and sensitive interpreter, he has drawn widely upon the scattered and unorganized evidence abou…
How did the early Christian church manage to win its dominant place in the Roman world? In his newest book, an eminent historian of ancient Rome examines this question from a secular-rather than an ecclesiastical-viewpoint. MacMullen's provocative c…
During the lifetime of Augustus (from 63 B.C. to A.D. 14), Roman civilization spread at a remarkable rate throughout the ancient world, influencing such areas as art and architecture, religion, law, local speech, city design, clothing, and leisure a…
