THE ROMAN REVOLUTION

A nonfiction book examines the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire during a time of crisis.

As Holmes observes in this concise and astute account of the Roman Empire’s implausible transformation into the world’s most dominant superpower, the growth of Christianity was breakneck. Between C.E. 200 and 300, the Christian population increased from 200,000 to more than 6 million. A half-century later, it had ballooned to 30 million, making Christians the majority. A once-prohibited faith seen as so inconsistent with the demands of civic life that its adherents were brutally persecuted, Christianity became the official religion of Rome. The author focuses his rigorously researched study on the question of Christianity’s reversal of fortunes in light of a historical crisis that precipitated it—the half-century between 235 and 285 was a time of great instability and emergency, one over which 26 emperors presided. Rome suffered terrible losses at the hands of its increasingly powerful enemies, was all but bankrupt, grappled with internecine discord and revolt, and was ravaged by plagues. But two emperors in particular, Diocletian and Constantine, oversaw a great “Roman Revolution,” in which the empire’s military and financial power were restored, and a cultural rejuvenation was affected by the popular acceptance of Christianity, which served as an antidote to widespread disillusionment: “Christianity answered this need by providing an appealingly fresh and vibrant message, with its focus on one true god whose aim was to save humanity. This eschatological vision was presented with a sense of urgency by early Christians who genuinely believed the end of the world was approaching—something which must have seemed very tangible as Rome faced collapse.” In this first installment of a series, Holmes helpfully focuses on a period generally overlooked by scholarly literature. And while his writing can sometimes favor clichés—many readers will wince at phrases like game changer—his prose is accessibly clear. Especially given the work’s pithiness—he covers a remarkable swath of historical terrain in well under 300 pages—this is an impressively illuminating contribution to the genre.

An enlightening and lively interpretation of an important but neglected historical period.