Early Christianity in Contexts: An Exploration across Cultures and Continents

This major work draws on current archaeological and textual research to trace the spread of Christianity in the first millennium. William Tabbernee, an internationally renowned scholar of the history of Christianity, has assembled a team of expert historians to survey the diverse forms of early Christianity as it spread across centuries, cultures, and continents.
Organized according to geographical areas of the late antique world, this book examines what various regions looked like before and after the introduction of Christianity. How and when was Christianity (or a new form or expression of it) introduced into the region? How were Christian life and thought shaped by the particularities of the local setting? And how did Christianity in turn influence or reshape the local culture? The book's careful attention to local realities adds depth and concreteness to students' understanding of early Christianity, while its broad sweep introduces them to first-millennium precursors of today's variegated, globalized religion. Numerous photographs, sidebars, and maps are included.
Contents
General Introduction
1. The Roman Near East
Introduction
Palaestina
Syria
Arabia
Complexity of Christianity in the Roman Near East
2. Beyond the Eastern Frontier
Introduction
Northern Mesopotamia
Persia
3. The Caucasus
Introduction
Georgia
Armenia
4. Deep into Asia
Introduction
Christian Traditions in Asia
Central Asia
China
India
5. The World of the Nile
Introduction
Egypt
Alexandria
Axum
Nubia
6. Roman North Africa
Introduction
Roman North Africa
Carthage and Africa Proconsularis
Numidia
Mauretania
Tripolitania
7. Asia Minor and Cyprus
Introduction
Asia Minor
Cyprus
The Nature of Early Christianity in Asia Minor and Cyprus
8. The Balkan Peninsula
Introduction
Achaea
The Greek Islands
Thracia
Eastern Illyricum
Constantinople
9. Italy and Environs
Introduction
Rome
Central Italy
North Italy
Ravenna
South Italy and the Islands
Environs
Dalmatia
10. The Western Provinces and Beyond
Introduction
The Western Provinces
Beyond the Borders
Index