Pagans, Christians and Jews in the Roman Empire

Module description

The modules offered in each academic year are subject to change in line with staff availability and student demand, there is no guarantee every module will run. Module descriptions and information may vary between years.

The Roman empire contained a vast number of different peoples who worshiped and cultivated a range of gods, sometimes multiply, sometimes singly. The history of the interaction of these different religious groups from the second century BC to the fifth century AD comprises both persecution and toleration.

This module will allow students to explore in depth the history of religious relations between pagans, a large and amorphous body, and the more identifiable and exclusive groups of Jews and Christians. It will investigate the ways in which members of these religious groups defined themselves and others; the practices and beliefs which one group identified as tolerable or intolerable in others; and the use of political, military and legal mechanisms by members of one group to convert, suppress or control the religions of others. It will necessarily involve the investigation of a wide range of primary evidence, both literary and material, to identify the influence of social, political and cultural factors in persecution and toleration.

Assessment details

1 x 3-hour exam (100%)

Teaching pattern

20 x 2-hour lecture (weekly) 

Module description disclaimer

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Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.