Un Libro per Amico .it - www.unlibroperamico.it

Analyses the cultural geography of an important segment of the Middle East on the eve of Islam Applies modern nationalism theory to a late antique topic, relating the debates of the time to modern trends Makes use of little-known Syriac sources, enhancing the primary source base for this field Drawing on little-used sources in Syriac, once the lingua franca of the Middle East, Philip Wood examines how, at the close of the Roman Empire, Christianity carried with it new foundation myths for the peoples of the Near East that transformed their self-identity and their relationships with their rulers. This cultural independence was followed by a more radical political philosophy that dared to criticize the emperor and laid the seeds for the blending of religious and ethnic identity that we see in the Middle East today.Readership: Scholars and students of ancient history, especially of the ancient Middle East; of theology, especially of early Christianity, Christianity in the Middle East, and interfaith studies; of political thought.