Levi Roach
At Cross Purposes
The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World
By Catherine Nixey
Macmillan 305pp £20
The period between the conversion of Constantine the Great in AD 312 and the accession of Theodosius II in AD 408 witnessed one of the most dramatic changes in world history. The Roman Empire, the superpower of the ancient Mediterranean world, was Christianised. At the start of the period, no more than 10 per cent of its population was Christian; by the end, this may have been nearing 90 per cent. As Catherine Nixey’s long-awaited book demonstrates, these changes did not come about quietly but were effected by force. Non-Christians were systematically persecuted – their temples ransacked, their statues smashed, their bodies beaten and burned. Hers is a tale written from the perspective of the losers, a salutary reminder of the darker side of the rise of Christianity.
Nixey opens with an arresting description of the overthrow of Palmyra in around 385, an event that, as she notes, bears similarities to the recent treatment of the site by Islamic State. An account of the experiences of the 6th-century philosopher Damascius – the last leader of the famed Athenian
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
Twitter Feed
Knowledge of Sufism increased markedly with the publication in 1964 of The Sufis, by Idries Shah. Nowadays his writings, much like his father’s, are dismissed for their Orientalism and inaccuracy.
@fitzmorrissey investigates who the Shahs really were.
Fitzroy Morrissey - Sufism Goes West
Fitzroy Morrissey: Sufism Goes West - Empire’s Son, Empire’s Orphan: The Fantastical Lives of Ikbal and Idries Shah by Nile Green
literaryreview.co.uk
Rats have plagued cities for centuries. But in Baltimore, researchers alighted on one surprising solution to the problem of rat infestation: more rats.
@WillWiles looks at what lessons can be learned from rat ecosystems – for both rats and humans.
Will Wiles - Puss Gets the Boot
Will Wiles: Puss Gets the Boot - Rat City: Overcrowding and Urban Derangement in the Rodent Universes of John B ...
literaryreview.co.uk
Twisters features destructive tempests and blockbuster action sequences.
@JonathanRomney asks what the real danger is in Lee Isaac Chung's disaster movie.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/eyes-of-the-storm