The Final Pagan Generation

A compelling history of radical transformation in the fourth century—when Christianity decimated the practices of traditional pagan religion in the Roman Empire.

The Final Pagan Generation recounts the fascinating story of the lives and fortunes of the last Romans born before the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. Edward J. Watts traces their experiences during the fourth century’s dramatic religious and political changes, a time when:

• Heated confrontations saw the Christian establishment legislate against pagan practices.
• Mobs attacked pagan holy sites and temples.
• Young Christian emperors and officials implemented laws that sharply contrasted with the attitudes of the older generation.

The younger generation, driven by a desire to create sharply defined religious identities and a propensity for violent conflict, stood in stark contrast to the earlier generation. These older Romans, born into a world where pagan practices had endured for two millennia, neither anticipated the sweeping changes brought by imperially sponsored Christianity nor resisted them.

Edward J. Watts examines why this "final pagan generation" was both unable and unwilling to confront the transformations that reshaped their world.

A compelling and provocative read, this book is suitable for general readers as well as students and scholars of the ancient world.