Late Antiquity witnessed the transformation of the ancient Mediterranean and near eastern worlds. This book illustrates the dramatic political, social and religious changes of Late Antiquity through the words of the men and women who experienced them.
This collection draws from Greek, Latin, Syriac, Hebrew, Coptic, Persian, Arabic and Armenian sources, some translated into English for the first time. The Roman empire is kept at the centre of discussion, with chapters devoted to government, society, army, law, medicine, philosophy, Christianity, polytheism and Jews. The carefully selected sources present a comprehensive insight into the lives of emperors, abbesses, aristocrats, slaves, and saints who left a vivid record of their experiences.