Book Description
A radical and powerful reappraisal of the impact of Constantine’s adoption of Christianity on the later Roman world, and on the subsequent development both of Christianity and of Western civilization.
When the Emperor Contstantine converted to Christianity in 368 AD, he changed the course of European history in ways that continue to have repercussions to the present day. Adopting those aspects of the religion that suited his purposes, he turned Rome on a course from the relatively open, tolerant and pluralistic civilization of the Hellenistic world, towards a culture that was based on the rule of fixed authority, whether that of the Bible, or the writings of Ptolemy in astronomy and of Galen and Hippocrates in medicine. Only a thousand years later, with the advent of the Renaissance and the emergence of modern science, did Europe begin to free itself from the effects of Constantine's decision, yet the effects of his establishment of Christianity as a state religion remain with us, in many respects, today. Brilliantly wide-ranging and ambitious, this is a major work of history.
Customer Reviews:
Quite right but very wrong regarding Plato.......2007-07-01
I feel the book should be made standard reading in every upper division college History course.
That being said, I'd like to point out to Mr. Freeman that he should try and find a copy of JOHN WILD'S, "Plato's Modern Enemies and the Theory of Natural Law, (U. of Chicago, 1953).
Prof Wild answers Popper in his "The Open Society and its Enemies." He not only answers Popper, he shows him for a damn fool. Wild thoroughly destroys not only Popper but everyone in that camp. In the process he does more than anyone else (and here I am getting to my point concerning Freeman) the logic behind Plato's Forms.
Popper, being, among other things a materialist couldn't conceive of Forms at all. Consequently he kept trying to bring the notion of Forms back down to the physical plane where he could show tear them apart.
Wild takes Popper's arguments, one by one and shreds them into adorable little pieces of confetti.
Other than this issue on Plato I felt Freeman was dead on in most of his analysis and I highly recommend the book.
Outstanding Book!.......2007-05-19
Exremely well researched. The material is dense but very readable. Freeman does an excellent job in building the case of how the life of Jesus was distorted by various personalities (namely Paul) and how the church, over time, became a political force, paving the way for the closing of the Western mind. One of the most influential books I have ever read.
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history.".......2007-05-05
That is the infamous quote by George Santayana that set the tone for me when I read this book.
Author Ayn Rand pointed out that there are two schools of philosophy, those of Plato and Aristotle, that constantly rise and fall in popularity, respectfully. George Freeman also comes to the same conclusion and gives a meticulously detailed look into what happened after a significant event that occured during the 4th Century when Emperor Constantine declared a policy of toleration for Christianity in the Roman Empire.
It was prior to this event and a little while afterwards that reason was practiced in the Ancient world which was inspired, in large part, by the ancient Greeks whose ideas became adopted by ancient Rome.
As Freeman points out, Emperor Constantine and some of his successors thought that by institutionalizing Christianity with the Roman state that it would act as a unifying force at times when the empire threatened by outside hostile forces, like outside invaders, and be an effective means of social control.
According to Freeman, because the Christian bishops at the time acquired political power as a result of church-state union, and were given a rich and powerful institution to operate, that dissent and the tradition of free inquiry was crushed and replaced with 2 centuries of dogmatism and repression. More commonly known as The Dark Ages.
Unfortunately, we are seeing this even more so in the United States today that originally rejected the idea of church-state union. Charles Freeman makes a vivid link between philosophical, political and cultural shifts while providing many historical details making the connection between the altruism that is bread by religion and how it subverted reason and free inquiry then like it is doing now.
I have a religious background and what I found most fascinating about this book are the details that took place then and how they are repeating themselves today. Especially with how religious sects (like Christianity) are trying to hinder scientific inquiry about the existence of God and evolution while religions of all beliefs are in conflict with each other today just like they have been many times in the past.
The question that people should ask is "why" when any country or culture dumps reason and inquiry (i.e. Aristotelianism) for faith and force (i.e. Platonism) and how Aristotle's influence can make a comeback. Freeman's book provides answers to this and many other philosophical questions in this well researched, lucid, and excellent book.
By understanding the mistakes of the past, we can avoid the conflicts of the present and future.
Prelude to the Dark Ages.......2007-03-25
Previously I had not directly blamed Christianity for the Dark Ages even though there is a clear chronological correlation between the two. It had seemed to me that the Dark ages were more of a result of corruption of the Roman Empire. However, this book shows that the corruption originated with Christianity as instigated by Constantine.
The start of the Dark Ages can be dated to 415 when a mob of Christian monks murdered the mathematician Hypatia. There was no mathematics for a 1000 years until the time of Galileo (also a victim of Christianity). The bottom line is that we lost 1000 years of science. Imagine where we would be today if quantum mechanics had been developed 1000 years ago.
Present day Christians should read this book to understand how government can corrupt religion by extending privilege. There is a reason our Constitution separates church and state.
Truly a book that will change your thinking.......2007-03-02
This is one those books I bought with high expectations and then promptly left on my bookshelf, unread, for almost a year. My only regret after reading it is that I waited so long to do so.
Freeman's thesis is straightforward, in the quest to explain the central concept of the Trinity, early Christianity moved away from seeking truth through empirical thought to receiving truth from authority or, if you prefer, through faith. The story behind this thesis is truly fascinating and it is a great tribute to Freeman that the controversies surrounding Arianism, Monophysitism, etc become vital and comprehensible.
It would be easy to read this book as a criticism of Christianity or the Early Church, etc. For me that misses the point. Freeman is tackling something far more subtle that nature of religious faith and its coexistence with empirical thought AND governmental authority. Can they coexist? Can they coexist with equal vigor and independence? Do they cancel each other out automatically? Whether one believes Constantine was in fact truly inspired by God or was "merely" a very canny politician, the one-minded reader is confront with the controversies created by a state sanction religion. A religion that the state ultimately comes to rely upon for legitimacy and authority.
I greatly enjoyed this book and have returned repeatedly to many of the ideas and arguments in it since reading it last year. I do not agree with all of Freeman's contentions but I am grateful for this book and his incredible achievement. You may want to follow this book with MacCulloch's The Reformation to further trace the impact of these seemingly obscure controversies and their lasting impact.
Not an easy read but very very worth the effort. Highly recommended.
Book Description
The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Ancient Rome is the history of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire in the words of those who saw it firsthand. Never before in such detail has there been a history of this great and influential civilization that continues to mark the landscape (the Colosseum, the Roman roads, the aqueduct at Nimes), our language, our calendar (“July” for Julius Caesar), our laws, our traditions (carrying a bride across the threshold), and our very thoughts. With all the gossip of I, Claudius and the excitement of Gladiator (but none of the historical inaccuracy), The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Ancient Rome is a unique tour into the most important civilization in the West.
Customer Reviews:
Good companion to Gibbons.......2007-03-27
I really enjoyed this book because it wasn't just a bunch of impersonal historical facts piled into one book. These are writings and historical accounts from those who were present at the time the history was being made. This book gives a unique perspective about the Roman Empire that most history books don't.
A unique and thorough collection of rare documents!.......2006-05-22
"The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Ancient Rome: The History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire in the Words of Those Who Were There" (whew!) is a 500+ page "phone book" of authentic Roman documents. The book is truly as "mammoth" as you would expect from a work with twenty-six words in the title alone, and pragmatically speaking, it's a remarkable value. For under eleven bucks, you can get this comprehensive set of writings, whereas buying just a handful of them in other sources (if such books are available for the work you want to read) would cost that much or more! A remarkable value!
I was most interested in the works of Josephus, but I quickly became enthralled by the way other works eerily paralleled our own society. Several of these writings can only be described as "how-to" books, for example. And, there's a document claiming to be written by Marc Antony himself entitled "On Going to Bed with Cleopatra", which makes one wonder if the Romans' attention was as misfocused as our own on cults of celebrity instead of important things. Over the years, you can follow along as Rome learns about the death of Christ from St. John, experiences Caligula and Nero, and dozens of other historical events. The Roman opinions clearly didn't always pan out, as our historical 20-20 vision will quickly tell you, but it's interesting to see how they viewed things at the time.
A Fun Resource, Marred By Some Creaky Translations.......2003-09-18
This Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Ancient Rome, edited by Jon Lewis, is really about the same size as a Viking Portable, so the title overstates the reality. At the same time, the book does collect a wide variety of Roman writings from all phases of its development and collapse. I've never before run across the Twelve Tables(450) BCE, anonymous rituals, Josephus, St. Augustine, Hannibal, Pliny, Suetonius, Marcus Aurelius, Horace, Caesar, Cicero, Juvenal, Constantine and too many others, known and anonymous, to name, all in one volume. It's main problem is that some of these translations are so hoary it's hard to imagine anyone ever expressed themselves in such convoluted and ornate language. Hannibal's speech to his troops is a prime example: it is unlikely his troops would have understood what he said, much less been motivated to valor, if he actually talked like he does in the translation here. Most of the pieces are good enough, though. It's fun to browse through, to get a peek at what Romans thought of themselves, and ordinary things they did, as well as great ones. The chronology at the front is very handy, too.
Book Description
This authoritative, fact filled history traces the growth of the Roman army fromits earlydays as an unpaid citizen's mililtia to its establishment as a world conquering professional force.
Customer Reviews:
a big disappointment.......2007-08-01
when i first ordered this book, i thought i would get a detailed description of the Roman army's legions, wars, and campaigns, as the title suggests. but don't let the title fool you. its actually a rough summery of the Roman empire. very little on the actual wars, legions and campaigns. so if you are just getting into the Roman empire, and don't know much about it, buy this book. otherwise, you're wasting your money, like i did.
A glossy study of the Roman legion.......2006-07-01
A rather glossy book that discusses the Roman legion from approx Hannibal to the fall of the Western Empire. To those that know something of Rome you will find little new or orginal in the book but it makes a good introduction on the subject as the writer clearly knows his topic.
Great stuff.......2006-01-31
For the aficiendado who is interested in Rome, the legions and campaigns, the conquests, this is the best and newest book on the military aspects of Rome. Rome ruled an empire for almost 700 years and its legions were what made it successful, the decline of the legions and their replacement by third rate mercenaries spelled the end. This book catalouges all the famous campaigns, in Gaul, in Britian, in Judea, in Germania and against the Greeks and Carthaginians. An interesting book.
Seth J. Frantzman
Book Description
The world's first corporate case study, as only the best-selling Stanley Bing could tell it.
A family business prospers through a series of brutal consolidations and rational growth. Then senseless internal conflicts lead to a long line of demented CEOs, monumental expansion, and foolish diversification—at a high cost in shattered lives. In the end, a series of reverse takeovers leaves the once-proud but now overextended and corrupt parent company at the mercy of less-civilized operations that previously cringed at the grandeur of the corporate brand.
Enron? WorldCom? Try Rome, whose rise and fall carry a moral that lingers to this day for the managers, employees, and students of any global enterprise. Stanley Bing—whose satirical business books are as savagely funny as they are insightful—mingles business parable and cautionary tale into an ingenious, often hilarious new telling of the story of the Roman Empire.
Customer Reviews:
History as comedy as business lesson.......2007-06-16
There are many books on the Roman Empire, but this is the first to treat it as a business enterprise. This short book chronicles the birth of Rome, from its mythical origins in the Aeneid, to its rise as a city state, growth into a Republic, transformation into Empire, its adoption of Christianity, split into East and West, and the West's metamorphosis into the Catholic Church. The book is broken into many small chapters, with each chapter focusing on a couple centuries of history, and the entire story laid out in chronological order. The primary emphasis is on Rome's early days and conquest of Carthage, and the days of Julius Caesar.
There is enough history here for those not familiar with Roman history. For true history buffs, this book serves more as an editorial comedy, and less as a history lesson. The parallels with modern corporations are many, and quite insightful. Overall, a good book and easy to read.
Go Rome.......2007-05-30
This book was so funny while being educative and historical all at the same time. If this guy is running a corporation, sign me up to work with him.
An inspired, amusing work of total lunacy.......2007-01-06
An inspired, amusing work of total lunacy. The Roman Empire and its management are presented as a business example of how to run a company. We hear of Gaius Marius treating the Senate as a board of directors and threatening to throw the chairman into prison.
Fortunately Bing is totally tongue in cheek and it's all in good fun.
Most of the history is quite good, albeit from a very unusual perspective. There are some occasional glitches - for example Bing tends to obscure the normal existence of two co-equal consuls rather than a single "CEO".
On the whole it's a fine piece of light entertainment, although the joke does tend to wear a little thin after a while.
Surprisingly insightful and entertaining.......2006-08-29
A good read with a fair dose of drole wit and surpisingly insightful about the nature of Rome and its people. Sometimes history makes more sense when one uses common sense. For example, the part about the rationale for continual war in Roman culture was right on the mark, as well as the following humorous observations what kind of psychological qualities were required to be a functional senior manager. Also his discussion of the fall of Rome, while truncated, hits it on the head about the importance of the myth of Rome and its unifying power. A little bit of history and a little bit of management and a large bit of flippant humor makes for an enjoyable read
Mildly Entertaining, No Lasting Value.......2006-07-12
Rome, Inc., by Stanley Bing is a quick 200 page dose of Roman history. It discuses the founding, rise and eventual decline of the empire in short breezy chapters with fleeting references to current corporate and management culture. There are some amusing parallels drawn but nothing earth shattering. This volume won't be creating any managers or CEOs in a hurry; at best, it can perhaps just about sustain you on your next flight from LA to NY.
Average customer rating:
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Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
Simon Baker
Manufacturer: BBC Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Rome
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0563493607
Release Date: 2006-10-24 |
Book Description
Based on a landmark BBC2 series,
The Rise and Fall of Rome follows a fast-paced, plot-driven narrative, focusing on the pivotal moments in Roman history, and introducing us to some of Rome’s most thrilling personalities.
Book Description
In the first century B.C., Rome was the ruler of a vast empire. Yet at the heart of the Republic was a fatal flaw: a dangerous hostility between the aristocracy and the plebians, each regarding itself as the foundation of Rome's military power. Turning from their foreign enemies, Romans would soon be fighting Romans. Swords Against the Senate describes the first three decades of Rome's century-long civil war that transformed it from a republic to an imperial autocracy, from the Rome of citizen leaders to the Rome of decadent emperor thugs. As the republic came apart amid turmoil, Gaius Marius, the "people's general," rose to despotic power only to be replaced by the brutal dictator Sulla. The Roman army, once invincible against foreign antagonists, became a tool for the powerful, and the Roman Senate its foe.
Customer Reviews:
Good but Not Great .......2006-06-26
The rise of the Roman army in the second and first centuries BC, and its increasing use as a tool of various warlords in the final decline of the Republic, means that I had high hopes for this book. Although there is much of interest (particularly because Hildinger, quite rightly, focuses intently on Gaius Marius and his eventual war with Sulla), in a period usually ignored by historians for later events involving Caesar, I put the book down with a slight sense of disappointment. Perhaps it is simply that there isn't all that much ancient information about the changes in the army between, say, 130 and 75 BC, but this ends up being an in-depth history of the aborted reforms of the Gracchi, Marius' wars in Africa, and other events up to the final victories of Sulla after the first civil war. Related changes in the army are touched on, but without helping me much with the theme of the book.
Not to mention, after Sulla finally wins as Dictator, having destroyed all his enemies, the book just seems to stop, as if someone pulled the plug! A summation would have been helpful.
Use this book to broaden your knowledge, but it doesn't fulfill the promise of its title as being an illuminating book about Republic v. Legions.
A little disappointing!.......2006-02-11
I read Sallust's Civil War just before reading this book so I had all this information already present in my head.
I was expecting more of a book about the army, instead I had mostly a general synopsis of the events from the Gracchi to Sulla's death. There was little or no commentary or personal opinion from the author.
However, I did learn a little bit about battle formations, but I wish I could have seen the occasional picture of the forces involved since it's always been hard for me to visualize actual battle scenes. I also gained some terms regarding the actual structure of the Roman army. I just wish that there was a separate chapter about army life instead of just random blurbs here and there in the midst of a historical timeline. A small glossary wouldn't have hurt too bad either.
Plus, the author compressed alot of information in such a short space of time, especially in regards to Sulla, who was the actual reason I read this book. I'm still going to use some of the author's statements as an opinion of Sulla counter to Keaveney's.
Hopefully, Rubicon will be a better read.
kittie
well written, thorough.......2004-05-16
I really enjoyed Swords Against the Senate. As a new reader of Roman history I really appreciated Hildinger's writing skills--unlike some other historians I've read he's a good storyteller and presents the material in a gripping way.
the brief introduction was a little fluffy, talking about what it means to have constitution. but my interest was immediately piqued with chapter 1 when that philosophizing was left behind.
the first several chapters do a good job of setting out the social and political atmosphere at the outset of this period and describing (importantly) what exactly the roman army consisted of at the time.
as the book proceeded I saw it as consisting of two interwoven threads: accounts of actual military campaigns (Jugurthine War, the Northern campaign, Itialian and Civil Wars) and accounts of political and constitutional developments in the republic. I found the political accounts--for instance, land reforms, the erosion of senatorial power, the rise of plebes--much more interested and the wars pretty boring. the book jumps back and forth between these. where they are shown to intersect is very interesting.
overall, the book offers a very thorough look at the important developments of 140 - 80BC. a more brief but still helpful glance is offered in the first chapter of Gelzer's Caesar, Politician and Statesman.
it is worth mentioning that Hildinger's explanation of the Roman political structure is not totally lucid on the first read. Gelzer's chapter was a helpful addition for me.
A good place to start.......2004-03-20
In a 1962 journal piece ("Waiting for Sulla" JRS, Vol. 52, pp. 47-61), classical scholar Ernst Badian noted that the age of Marius and Sulla (roughly 110-78 BC) is of critical importance to understanding the decline and collapse of the republic and the rise of Caesar and the empire, yet precious little energy had been devoted to re-examing this period with the critical eye of modern historiography.
One might also argue that this period was, until the publication of Erik Hildinger's "Swords Against the Senate", totally inaccessible to the layman. There are scores of popular histories and biographies on Caesar and the Roman Revolution - the commercial success of Anthony Everitt's "Cicero" is but one recent example - but the epoch that set the republic wobbling on its foundation and offered the precedent for Caesar's march on Rome has been largely ignored in popular history until now.
The author does a superb job of framing the issue by first providing an outline of the development of the Roman state with a particular focus on the army and the role it played socially and politically. Hildinger then provides a good general overview of the central figures and events of the period (the Gracchi, Marius and Sulla and the Jurgurthan, Cimbrian/Teuton, Social, Mithridatic and First Civil Wars) as related in the works of Appian, Sallust and Plutarch. There is no critical examination of the sources or revisionism to the traditional account of the events, such as the ones Badian provides in the article cited above.
In closing, if you are new to the subject and are looking for a crisp overview of this extremely important period preceding the rise of Caesar and the triumvirate "Swords Against the Senate" is highly recommended. If you are a rather serious student of Republican Rome (i.e. you've read all the ancient authors; you're familiar with the major arguments and works of Brunt, Badian, Gruen, Millar and Syme; you read the Journal of Roman Studies on occasion) there isn't much in this account that will inform, interest or challenge you.
No, it isn't a sword, senator...I'm just happy to see you........2004-03-04
I picked up both RUBICON and SWORDS AGAINST THE SENATE at the same time, for some reason thinking that SWORDS was about the fall of Roman Empire itself. Little did I know that I was reading two books on basically the same subject at the same time. However, this did give me a great insight into the time period and allowed me to do a good comparison of the information. I'm glad it worked out this way.
SWORDS AGAINST THE SENATE, by Erik Hildinger, doesn't cover quite the same ground as Tom Holland's RUBICON, as it covers a briefer time period. However, this gives it the opportunity to go a little deeper into the information it does present. It covers the first three decades in the 70 years it took for the Roman Republic to fall to pieces. It also gives a bit more information on the rise of the Republic to begin with, from its rise in the 400's BC to the sack of Rome by the Gauls in 386 and its subsequent recovery. Between this brief overview and the extensive look at the seemingly endless wars that brought down the Republic, this book is a great find. It's also fairly short, which adds to its attraction.
In his introduction, Hildinger remarks that his book will cover three aspects of Roman life: the army, the personalities, and the "gradual chipping away of the constitution" that led to the republic's demise. He expertly interweaves these branches of the story into a wonderful narrative that's interesting to read and hard to put down. At times, this does feel a bit disjointed, as he will introduce the characters involved and then go on a brief diversion to explain how the army was set up at that time. Once he gets back to the narrative, though, it's obvious why he diverted down the path as the knowledge is valuable to understanding what is happening. While this may sound boring, it really isn't. He rarely spends more than a couple of pages on the specifics of the army make-up before moving on.
One place where I have to give Hildinger a lot of credit is in his use of sources. He uses a variety of primary and secondary sources, along with some more modern interpretive sources (something Holland didn't really do) to back up his narrative. He also is not afraid to say when the sources are unclear on a subject, especially where casualty figures are concerned. He often states the given casualty figures and then reminds us that these figures were often exaggerated. If something was taken from Sulla's memoirs (for example), he'll remind the reader that this could very well have been included to make Sulla look good. He'll make informed suppositions about certain things, but he's always clear when something might not be true:
"Sulla took no direct hand in following up the killing, and *apparently* no one was punished." pg 184 (emphasis added)
I found that this added to the attraction of the book, giving me a feeling of piecing together history along with Hildinger.
The book does have a heavy concentration on the army and on military elements. Hildinger details the various wars (both external and civil) that took place in this 30 year period, how various Roman generals and consuls took their troops and marched them on Rome, or formed their own private armies and went campaigning in Asia. We get descriptions of the battles, some of the tactics (at least as much as is known), and the fight for who would get credit for various victories. We also get the politics behind the various wars, along with the personality conflicts that would ultimately sunder the republic, especially those between Marius and Sulla. Ultimately, Sulla would win out and become the appointed dictator while he got the constitution back in order.
The book ends with Sulla's victory, and the epilogue talks of how Sulla created a new constitution and then retired after three years as dictator, allowing the Roman Republic to reassume power, though the fissures were already in place to bring it toppling down again. This makes a good stopping point for Hildinger, as this book is really about how the army was involved in this conflict, and how the personalities used it. Once Sulla retires, it becomes much more of a personal battle between strong-willed men.
For those who wish a general overview of how the Roman Republic fell, SWORDS AGAINST THE SENATE isn't really a good place to start. It doesn't cover the whole thing and it's a little too detailed for that. It may, however, spark your interest so that you do want to go on to an overall account after you have read it. It also is a valuable source for military matters in this time period. In whatever order you decide to read it, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy.
David Roy
Book Description
The Rise and Fall of the Holy Roman Empire is the only complete history of the Holy Roman Empure currently in print. The vain attempt of the Holy Roman Empire to restore the legacy of ancient Rome is recounted in full. Unlike other histories, Dr. Criswell covers both emperors and popes, who were by charter co-rulers of the empire, and discusses the whole empire as it extended at various times far beoynd Germany and Italy to Spain, England, France, and even to Constantiniople, Jerusalem, and the Americas. Preferring facts to interpretation, Dr. Criswell has presented this history as a chronoligcal narrative, discussing each and every emperor and pope, as well as the dominant kings of Europe, from the time of Charlemagne to the empire's fall under Napoleon. The result is a history that combines Church history with secular history and is the first comprehensive, yet conscise, history of the Holy Roman Empire.
Customer Reviews:
The worst ever.......2007-04-12
I am a history fan, when I saw this book with the title of HOLY ROMAN EMPÝRE I think that this book is gorgeous. But when I start to read this book I understand that the author is a fundamentalist. For history lovers and the ones who want to learn history with a right perspective DONT READ THÝS BOOK.Even 1 Dolar is much for this
Don't buy this book.......2007-03-10
First off, the reviewers who praise this must not be used to reading nonfiction. This book presents an incredibly biased interpretation of history, lacks footnotes, contains numerous factual errors, and, perhaps worst of all, has not been edited. The spelling and grammatical errors contained within are the type that would be shocking in even a rough draft, much less a polished finished product.
Do not buy this to learn anything about the Medieval or early Modern Empire. Although no one-volume work exists to cover the entire history of the Holy Roman Empire, vastly superior works on individual periods and emperors can be easily found. If the book's price weren't so low, I'd return it.
Balanced Coverage of an Controversial Era.......2006-05-26
History is, as you can tell from the reviews, divisive. Even presenting facts (such as the barbaric and savage nature of the pagan Saxons) is now considered tantamount to being an apologists for Church abuses. This is particularly true in this day and age. Dr. Criswell presents facts, and many of them. Even one of the critics, whose review is below, states that this book is filled with "facts". Perhaps too many facts. It is may be slow at times, but it is the presentation of facts, rather than polemics, which elevates this history. Now it is true that if you only want to hear about the evils of the medieval Church (although there is plenty of that in here) then this may not be the book for you.
The book is obviously Protestant in tone as it covers the Christian sects so often neglected in other histories. It is not, however, either anti-Catholic nor "fringe". It is actually amusing to read one guy calling Criswell a Catholic apologist while another calls him anti-Catholic. Such is the divisiveness of this era in history.
In short, this book covers the slow but methodical change in Europe from its barbarian roots to the foundations of the Reformation, Renaissance, and Democracy. Names most people may not be familiar with include people like Arnold of Brescia who sought to restore the Roman Republic in the name of Christ, but was burned at the stake as a heretic. If such facts offend you, look elsewhere. If you want to know how the world change from savagery to the modern world, give it a read.
Propaganda from the fundamentalist fringe........2006-04-30
This is not an objective, scholarly history of the Holy Roman Empire. Rather, it is an attempt by a fundamentalist Christian to misrepresent history for the sake of furthering an agenda. This excerpt is typical: "While Charlemagne has been criticized for this it must be remembered that paganism and Christianity simply could not coexist together. History had proven this. The pagan gods were vengeful gods who could never accept the idea of monotheism."
I think it is pretty deceptive of the publisher not to indicate somewhere on the cover that this book was intended as a religious polemic rather than as serious history.
Only One of its Kind.......2006-03-27
This book gives a history of the Holy Roman Empire from Charlemagne to Napoleon. Unlike other histories of the Holy Roman Empire, Criswell views the empire through the eyes of the medieval citizen. It was not a German empire, but a European one whose capital resided in Germany.
He deals with both popes and emperors, detailing the evolution of the Church, traces the dissident Christian sects that led to the Reformation, and the struggle for power between pope and emperor. Highly recommended for those who want to understand the Middle Ages and how they helped to shape the world in which we now live.
Book Description
Galileo's trial by the Inquisition is one of the most dramatic incidents in the history of science and religion. Today, we tend to see this event in black and white--Galileo all white, the Church all black. Galileo in Rome presents a much more nuanced account of Galileo's relationship with Rome. The book offers a fascinating account of the six trips Galileo made to Rome, from his first visit at age 23, as an unemployed mathematician, to his final fateful journey to face the Inquisition. The authors reveal why the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun, set forth in Galileo's Dialogue, stirred a hornet's nest of theological issues, and they argue that, despite these issues, the Church might have accepted Copernicus if there had been solid proof. More interesting, they show how Galileo dug his own grave. To get the imprimatur, he brought political pressure to bear on the Roman Censor. He disobeyed a Church order not to teach the heliocentric theory. And he had a character named Simplicio (which in Italian sounds like simpleton) raise the same objections to heliocentrism that the Pope had raised with Galileo. The authors show that throughout the trial, until the final sentence and abjuration, the Church treated Galileo with great deference, and once he was declared guilty commuted his sentence to house arrest. Here then is a unique look at the life of Galileo as well as a strikingly different view of an event that has come to epitomize the Church's supposed antagonism toward science.
Customer Reviews:
The difficulty of incorporating scientific thought into established orthodoxy........2007-04-22
Recognized as the father of modern science for his study of physics and astronomy, Galileo's adherence to the Copernican theory of heliocentrism might not have been so problematic had it not been for his personality and misreading of Vatican politics. As it was he felt justified in printing his treatise Dialogue contrary to the church's admonition against his teaching of the theory. It is indicative of Galileo's scholarship and reputation that few of the volumes were handed back to authorities when the Dialogue was banned and Galileo was permitted to serve his sentence under house arrest.
Galileo's six trips to Rome began as a young man seeking employment and culminated with his hearings before the Holy Office forty-six years later when he admitted to "having violated an injunction not to discuss Copernicansim." (194) The author's use Galileo's letters, Papal records, newly discovered documents, and historical references to place the story in context.
As it unfolds the difficulty of incorporating scientific thought into established orthodoxy is shown at the very conception of science. What becomes clear is that a discovery, to be accepted, has to have a welcome mat and the structure of society does not always provide one. Galileo had to operate within an ecclesiastic framework not in tune with his views. While Galileo had many supporters, his opponents, whom he often accused of being ignorant, were powerful adversaries. It did not necessarily matter whether objections were valid or not as long as they adhered to tradition.
Another problem for science, is demonstrated by Galileo's use and improvement of the telescope. The power of the scope was increased twenty times and objects could be properly focused. Galileo demonstrated the telescope in social settings to impress distinguished guests with a close-up view of Rome and the stars. However his critics did not always understand the telescope's potential because "impatient and shortsighted philosophers often saw a blurred image that confirmed their prejudices." (41)
Within the scientific community new devices do not necessarily lead to conformity of opinion. Utilizing the telescope, Galileo was able to observe Jupiter with its satellite moons revolving around the sun in a Copernican system. That and the discovery of sunspots overturned Aristotelian perfection of the universe. Even though Galileo and the Jesuit professor from Germany, Christopher Scheiner, both observed the same spots, they came to different conclusions: Scheiner to buttress Aristotelian immutability by declaring the spots were moons and Galileo by using the sun spots to show the Sun's rotation on its axis.
There is another point to be made from reading Shea and Artigas' book on Galileo. All his life Galileo held to his belief of tidal theory "as his decisive argument for the motion of earth." (123). Here the recognized father of modern science is holding resolutely to an idea contrary to basic observation of seaman that there were two high and low tides in the Mediterranean sea, not one each as his theory postulated. "He was so convinced of the validity of his proof of the earth's motion that continued to believe, in the teeth of evidence, that diurnal period in the ocean followed a 24- not a 12- hour cycle." (132) Galileo, the master, is probably only one of many scientists to follow who are caught in the trap of their own beliefs in the face of convincing evidence to the contrary.
HELIOCENTRICITY v. THE CHURCH.......2005-04-21
Early 17th Century Rome. Any book that is published must first be reviewed and revised by the Catholic Church. The Church still stings from Martin Luther's 95 Theses, and King Henry VIII's secession. A Papal Conclave is disrupted by three Cardinals dying whilst Rome is in the grip of a malaria outbreak. Bubonic Plague rears its ugly head after close to 300 years. The Pope peppers his Cardinal enclave with relatives. The Pope is not only a spiritual leader, but also the mayor of Rome, trying to administrate a bustling city while also nurturing the world's flock. And not all the Cardinals support the Pope, either (and he knows it).
Enter Galileo, who argues that the Earth is NOT the center of the universe; the sun is. The establishment likes his telescope, but not what he sees through it. Galileo will not abide superstition; he believes heliocentricity is a fact, and he's damned and determined to make sure everyone else believes it too. This idea crashes head-on with long-held beliefs, and the Catholic Church is not about to tolerate another compromise. After five journeys to Rome to argue his case, spread out over decades, Galileo is at last subpoenaed by the Tribunal of the Inquisition, where confession is mandatory. The only question is--should the defendant be put to death . . . or merely imprisoned?
Enter this world where free thinking might put you in irons, where paranoia is the rule, where whispers can kill. These learned men, the authors, have left no stone unturned in exploring the role and effect of Galileo's scientific endeavors. At the time, he was an extremely likable man--full of anecdotes, well-read, he could make the ladies laugh--but no one dreamed he would become the father of modern science, as he is regarded today. But he was also a tragic man, beset with lifelong illness, the loss of friends and relatives to disease, and the misery of isolation for his beliefs. And he agonized over the fact that the Church questioned his faith in God.
This book can be dry; it can overload you with Italian names--it can fill you with righteous anger--but it can never bore you. For all ye lovers of truth, of justice, of history, even of Catholicism, I unreservedly recommend this book.
The Galileo of History.......2004-03-09
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding the Galileo affair as an historical event and not simply as the stereotype of obscurantist religion fearing the truths of science. Built around Galileo's six trips to Rome, the authors give a lucid explanation of Galileo's life and work. Galileo's is ever more successful as a scientist and ever more eager to vanquish those who disagreed with him.
While clearly a scientific genius, he claimed theories to be true without ever having physical proof. He insisted, falsely, that the tides were caused by the earth's rotation and then used the fact of the tides to argue for the Copernican thesis that the earth and not the heavens was in motion. When certain theologians objected that his theory seemed contrary to scripture, he entered, with no expertise, into a theological discussion on the proper mode of interpreting scripture. Unfortunately this intemperance in debate led finally to Galileo's "trial" and house arrest.
At the same time, the theologians are presented as a mixed lot, some opposing Galileo with an irrational zeal, others soberly weighing the evidence he proposed and so insisting that he treat his theory as a hypothesis and not as proven fact. The authors present the Church's position with some sympathy: it seemed imprudent to change the more obvious understanding of scripture without proof for the scientific theory that undermined it.
The book's prose is plain, but always clear and readable. The tone is dispassionate and objective. The authors, both serious scholars in the field, have clearly done their homework (but mercifully use endnotes) and present a balanced account. This book may not change your view of Galileo or the Church, but it will certainly leave you much better informed about the facts of the case. Given the importance of understanding science and religion, this is no small matter.
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The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
Nigel Rodgers
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
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Book Description
A highly readable popular history of the military and political power of ancient Rome.
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- The New Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes (Oxford Books of Prose & Verse)
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