The Christians as the Romans Saw Them

This book offers an engrossing portrayal of the early years of the Christian movement from the perspective of the Romans.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Abbreviations
Pliny: a Roman gentleman. The making of a Roman official; Travels of a provincial governor; A Christian association; Offerings of wine & incense
Christianity as a burial society. Church or political club?; A sense of belonging; A Bacchic society; An obscure & secret association
The piety of the persecutors. Roman religion & Christian prejudice; The practice of religion; “We too are a religious people”
Galen: the curiosity of a philosopher. Philosophy & medicine; Christianity as a philosophical school; The practice of philosophy; The arbitrary god of the Christians
Celsus: a conservative intellectual. Begging priests of Cybele & soothsayers; The deficiencies of Christian doctrine; Demythologizing the story of Jesus; An apostasy from Judaism; Religion & the social order
Porphyry: the most learned critic of all. In defense of Plato; The Jewish scriptures; The Christian New Testament; Philosophy from oracles; The religion of the emperor; Jesus not a magician; An unreasoning faith
Julian the Apostate: Jewish law & Christian truth. The emperor’s piety; Greek education & Christian values; Against the Galilaeans; The tribal god of Jews & Christians; An apostasy from Judaism
Epilogue
Suggestions for Further Reader
Index