A Special Review-Pagans:The End of Traditional Religion and the Rise of Christianity

摘要

In a slim 240 pages, James J. O'Donnell introduces readers to "traditional religion" (i.e., what had been called paganism/polytheism) in the Roman Empire and offers a nuanced explanation for its almost complete demise by the fifth century A.D. The book accordingly divides into two parts, the first being a general introduction to the basic features of pre-Christian Roman religion, the second a well-conceived elucidation of how religious dialogue shifted dramatically during the Christian era. As the subtitle implies, the book is as much about early Christianity as it is about traditional religion, although the story is told primarily from the perspective of the socalled "pagans."