[C19fan]

I have read several Tom Holland books: "Persian Fire", "Rubicon", "In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire", "The Forge of Christendom: The End of Days and the Epic Rise of the West", and "Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar". Mr. Holland went from an atheist to an agnostic friend of Christians.

[marktwain]

Pretty good read.

I may read the book.

[Sans-Culotte]

I have read three of the books on your list. I may try this one. Holland was a novelist before becoming a historian, so his books usually have a good narrative drive to them. Also, I just finished a Bible study class on Acts of the Apostles, so this book should fit right in.

[Persevero]

I have placed this as an audiobook hold through my library. Thanks for the tip.

[Doche2X2]

I have visited the Roman Colosseum twice, and both times I stood there, looking out at the arena, and wondered how on earth could anyone have ever sat there and watched another human being be eaten alive, drug behind bulls, sat on fire, etc. How could that be possible for the citizens of Rome? How could a culture that was so advanced, in engineering and architecture,with its Senate which supposedly spike for the citizens, tolerate such a thing? The only answer I could come up with was that before Christ, life had no intrinsic meaning or worth. So, it did not bother most spectators to watch such savagery because they did not consider the victims’ own humanity at all, or couldn’t have tolerated it. Christianity did indeed make us more humanized and compassionate towards our fellow man. In places devoid of Christian sympathy today, you still see this disregard for the preciousness of human life, every human life, born or unborn.

The Romans had no qualms about infanticide either, and it was common for unwanted infants to be left on the streets, to die of exposure. Early Christians took in these infants and nourished them, as they did for the many, many widows whose husbands died in the constant Roman military campaigns.

[ConjunctionJunction]

Very interesting article. Thank you for sharing!

[Albion Wilde]

From the article:
"I’ve never read a Tom Holland book, but now I’m eager to read them all. He is a fantastic storyteller. History is my favorite thing to read, but rarely does one find a historian who makes history as vivid as Holland does. And what a story he has to tell!"

Ping!

[Sans-Culotte]

On a side note, I bought one of those Aftershokz Titanium headsets the reviewer mentioned. What an ingenious idea! I will be using mine to listen to music at work while still being able to hear around me. The sound quality is quite decent. Not like a great pair of headphones or a real sound system, but much better than any earbuds I have tried. I recently bought a pair of wireless earbuds, but they are uncomfortable, fall out and sound shrill and tinny. I am quite pleased with the Aftershokz.