Early Christian Life and Thought in Social Context: A Reader

1.The Political Landscape:The Persian,Hellenistic,and Roman Empires
The Rise of Persia •The Persian Empire •Phillip II of Macedon •Alexander the Great Alexander \'s Achievement •Alexander \'s Successors (the diadochoi)•Early Rome Acquires an Empire •Late Republican Roman Politics •Augustus •The Roman Empire in Early Imperial Times•Augustus \'Successors (14-136 CE)

2.The Jews under Persians,Greeks and Romans:539 BCE-135 CE
The Jews under Persian Rule •Judaea under Greek Rule (336-175 BCE)•Judaism and Hellenism in Judaea •Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Priestly Politics in Judaea •The Maccabaean Revolt (167-164 BCE)and its Aftermath •The Hasmonaeans and the Coming of the Romans •Herod \'s Early Career •Palestine under Herod the Great and Archelaus (37 BCE-6 CE)•Roman Rule in Judaea (6-37 CE)•Herod Antipas •Agrippa I and II •Judaea and Galilee (44-66 CE)•The First Jewish Revolt •Palestine 70-135 CE •The Revolts of 115-117 CE •The Second Jewish Revolt 132-135 CE

3.Graeco-Roman Literature
History •Biography •Letters •Poetry •Moral Treatises •The Novel

4.Early Jewish and Christian Literature
Apocalypses •Testaments •Expanded and Rewritten Bible •Wisdom Literature •Hymns and Prayers •Jewish Historiography •Gospels •The Content of the Gospels in their Literary Setting

5.Graeco-Roman Religion
The Religion of the Greeks and Romans •Ruler Cults •Mystery Religions and Eastern Cults •Oracles,Astrology,Magic and the Occult

6.Philosophy
Epicureanism •Stoicism •The Academy •Philosophical Itinerants •Philo

7.Graeco-Roman Society
The Household •Marriage •Attitudes to Women •Sexuality •Slavery •Education and Rhetoric•The Graeco-Roman Economy •Glory and Fame •Life in the Cities •Life in the Countryside •Entertainment •War •Atrocities •Government •Natural Disasters •Sickness and Death

8.Early Judaism and Christianity
Descriptions of Judaea •The Elephantine Community •The Jewish Diaspora •Reactions to Judaism •The Civic Rights of the Jews •The Sabbath •The Temple •The Synagogue •Pharisees•Sadducees •Essenes •The Qumran Community •The \'Fourth Philosophy \',Bandits and Sicarii •Herodians,Hellenists and Samaritans •Early Christianity •Resurrection •Messianism •Christians under the Empire