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The Last Pagans of Rome
#1
Avete,

This new book promises to be an interesting read.
It should help dispel the modern romanticized myths of 'heroic' pagans resisting Christianity propagated by Gibbon and his ilk (and movies like Agora).

[size=150:1kfqgx8a]The Last Pagans of Rome[/size] by Alan Cameron

Hardcover: 896 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 21, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 019974727X
ISBN-13: 978-0199747276

Product Description

Rufinus' vivid account of the battle between the Eastern Emperor Theodosius and the Western usurper Eugenius by the River Frigidus in 394 represents it as the final confrontation between paganism and Christianity. It is indeed widely believed that a largely pagan aristocracy remained a powerful and active force well into the fifth century, sponsoring pagan literary circles, patronage of the classics, and propaganda for the old cults in art and literature. The main focus of much modern scholarship on the end of paganism in the West has been on its supposed stubborn resistance to Christianity. The dismantling of this romantic myth is one of the main goals of Alan Cameron's book. Actually, the book argues, Western paganism petered out much earlier and more rapidly than hitherto assumed.

The subject of this book is not the conversion of the last pagans but rather the duration, nature, and consequences of their survival. By re-examining the abundant textual evidence, both Christian (Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Paulinus, Prudentius) and "pagan" (Claudian, Macrobius, and Ammianus Marcellinus), as well as the visual evidence (ivory diptychs, illuminated manuscripts, silverware), Cameron shows that most of the activities and artifacts previously identified as hallmarks of a pagan revival were in fact just as important to the life of cultivated Christians. Far from being a subversive activity designed to rally pagans, the acceptance of classical literature, learning, and art by most elite Christiansmay actually have helped the last reluctant pagans to finally abandon the old cults and adopt Christianity. The culmination of decades of research, The Last Pagans of Rome will overturn many long-held assumptions about pagan and Christian culture in the late antique West.

Review

"Alan Cameron's Last Pagans of Rome is one of the best and most important books ever published on the Later Roman Empire or Late Antiquity, and it has profound consequences for our understanding of the culture of the entire Greco-Roman world. It represents the summation of decades of original contributions by one whose best published work is the equal in quality and significance to that of any classical scholar living or dead." - Timothy Barnes, University of Edinburgh

"A work of sheer brilliance that will endure for a long time in view of its definitive presentation of central issues in the story of Christianity and paganism in late antiquity. Cameron takes his reader on an exhilarating journey through debates on religion, literature, politics, art, and ancient antiquarian scholarship. Its cumulative power is immense, and all its chapters, with their vast arsenal of learning and bibliography, are beautifully interconnected. There is nothing like it, and there will not be for generations to come." - G. W. Bowersock, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton


~Theo
Jaime
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#2
Sounds good, and I went straight on to Amazon, where I discovered the price. £76..........ouch!!!!! I may have to give that one a miss....
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aka Paul B, moderator
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm
Moderation in all things
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#3
It may be available in electronic format which is usually a bit cheaper. If so, I may buy it for my Kindle.

~Theo
Jaime
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#4
the acceptance of classical literature, learning, and art by most elite Christiansmay actually have helped the last reluctant pagans to finally abandon the old cults and adopt Christianity.


Apparently this book discards the abundant proof of paganism stretching at least as far as the Frankish realm if not further into the middle ages.

M.VIB.M.
Bushido wa watashi no shuukyou de gozaru.

Katte Kabuto no O wo shimeyo!

H.J.Vrielink.
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#5
Quote:And, apparently this book discards the abundant proof of paganism stretching at least as far as the Frankish realm if not further into the middle ages.

M.VIB.M.

Well, I guess you've read the book already.

Actually, the book's scope does not cover post-Roman (i.e. Germanic) paganism. The book deals with the survival of the Greco-Roman pagans living under the rule of the Christian emperors.

Quote:They will never succeed in having me adopting that superstitio !! nor any other monotheïstic religion for that matter.

No one on RAT cares. Rant in the OT section.

~Theo
Jaime
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#6
Quote:Sounds good, and I went straight on to Amazon, where I discovered the price. £76..........ouch!!!!! I may have to give that one a miss....

USD68 from Amazon US.

I'm looking forward to seeing some detailed reviews of it, but I think I will for the paperback!
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#7
Quote:This new book promises to be an interesting read.
It should help dispel the modern romanticized myths of 'heroic' pagans resisting Christianity propagated by Gibbon and his ilk (and movies like Agora).

[size=150:1kfqgx8a]The Last Pagans of Rome[/size] by Alan Cameron

Hardcover: 896 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 21, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 019974727X
ISBN-13: 978-0199747276
I am currently reading it. The two first chapters were not as good as I had been hoping for (the first one discusses the non-question whether we should call the non-Christians pagans or polytheists), but after that, the book's a delightful read, very perceptive and interesting.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
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#8
This is high on my list, too! Waiting for the final verdict, Jona ;-) ...
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
PHILODOX
Moderator
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#9
Quote:This is high on my list, too! Waiting for the final verdict, Jona ;-) ...
I just finished reading it. It is overwhelming, and very very very good. I will write about it later, at some length I guess. Before you run to your bookshop: the book is also extremely technical. Men like Symmachus, Claudian, and Macrobius are not introduced, you're supposed to know their work.

For us RATs, the demolishing of the Gibbonesque image of the battle of the Frigidus is probably the most interesting part. It was certainly not the clash between Paganism and Christianity we're supposed to believe, reading the later sources. Eugenius was a Christian, who could be blamed for not being orthodox first, which was interpreted as being Pagan later. Most details of the battle are inventions by later authors.

I already suggested an article in Ancient Warfare to our Jasper.

Quote:Apparently this book discards the abundant proof of paganism stretching at least as far as the Frankish realm if not further into the middle ages.
As the title indicates, it's about The Last Pagans of Rome. It's about the so-called Pagan Revival of the late fourth century, which, according to Cameron, is a mirage.

After Gratian had ended the payments to the Pagan shrines, the Roman aristocracy was forced to make a choice: either they paid the cults themselves and associated themselves with the old gods, but lost influence at court, or they gave up the lost cause. They overwhelmingly chose the latter, prefering their own dignity over the dignity of their deities.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
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#10
Thanks Jona for the summary, it definitely seems to be a book to purchase Big Grin !
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
PHILODOX
Moderator
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#11
It's sad that people then, and now, have to make such a vitriolic campaign against people of other religious beliefs. I've been on the backside of that too many times to count. I won't talk about it on this venue, though, since that's not in our purview.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#12
My review (in Dutch) appeared tonight in the Handelsblad, a newspaper in Holland. I guess it will be on their website soon, so those who can read Dutch, will be able to learn why I am so enthusiastic.

I will write an English translation soon.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
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#13
Quote:I will write an English translation soon.
It's here.
Jona Lendering
Relevance is the enemy of history
My website
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#14
The question is whether Rome’s last pagans went out fighting or meekly accepted their fate. Cameron argues that they simply accepted their fate. His method of operation is to systematically attack each and every point of each and every historian who has argued for a pagan resurgence in the late fourth – early fifth centuries.

This is a double-barrelled shotgun approach, aiming to devastate all opposing arguments. Just like not all shotgun pellets hit the target, some of his ideas were unconvincing. However, as a whole the target has been hit and his case is made. If he was a defence attorney, his client would probably walk free. He does a masterful job, and this book is liable to keep historians working for the next decade or two in an attempt to answer him. This is easily one of the most stimulating non-fiction books I have read for years.

One problem is that the book is a refutation. As he admits in the last paragraph, it is extremely negative, only destroying the arguments in favour of a pagan resistance. He offers very little alternative, which is a major disappointment.

I want to reiterate several points other reviewers have made. First, it is not for novices. He expects the reader to know the time period, know the personas, know the sources, and know the arguments. If you aren’t familiar you spend a lot of time doing background research. Like I did, for instance. Secondly, when Cameron says “Rome” he means, almost exclusively, the city of Rome. He only discusses paganism in rural areas or other cities as a comparison to the city of Rome.

Then there is something other reviewers haven’t mentioned, which is that Cameron is not a good writer. I don’t know why people ignore this when it comes to non-fiction books. Someone could be a genius, a master theoretician or historian, but if he can’t communicate effectively his ideas are no good. Cameron uses odd sentence structures, ungrammatical phrases and awkward compounds. He has a predilection for parenthetical asides, which I believe is a result of his inability or unwillingness to structure a complex thought coherently.

Sometimes a single sentence has the ability to cause hours of confusion. This sentence is obviously incorrect, but the writer is obviously brilliant, so what is going on here? What did he mean? Evidently no one knows, because Cameron has broken the cardinal rule of writing, which is to strive for clarity.

Overall, though, the impression left by the book is extremely positive. It is almost overwhelming, and I would probably need another reading or two just to grasp this accomplishment. I don’t know if it will truly change the consensus about this time period, but if it doesn’t probably nothing will.
David J. Cord
www.davidcord.com
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#15
I look forward to reading this oneday! Once it is out in paperback....
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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