The Confessions

Aurelius Augustinus, Augustine of Hippo, or Saint Augustine (354 – 430 AD) was one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. His works – including The Confessions, which is often called the first Western autobiography – are still read around the world today. Written between 397 and 398 AD, The Confessions tells of his sinful youth, how, in Carthage he developed a relationship with a young woman who would be his concubine for over fifteen years, with whom he had a son, and how he later converted to Christianity. The book details his spiritual journey and provides an unbroken record of his evolution of thought and is a significant theological work.