Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 01-20-2012, 01:04 AM

Invisible Romans (or via: amazon.co.uk) by Robert Knapp

The author, a classicist, uses original sources including the New Testament to describe the social history of the non-elite classes in the Roman Empire.

Quote:

What survives from the Roman Empire is largely the words and lives of the rich and powerful: emperors, philosophers, senators. Yet the privilege and decadence often associated with the Roman elite was underpinned by the toils and tribulations of the common citizens. Here, the eminent historian Robert Knapp brings those invisible inhabitants of Rome and its vast empire to light.

He seeks out the ordinary folk—laboring men, housewives, prostitutes, freedmen, slaves, soldiers, and gladiators—who formed the backbone of the ancient Roman world, and the outlaws and pirates who lay beyond it. He finds their traces in the nooks and crannies of the histories, treatises, plays, and poetry created by the elite. Everyday people come alive through original sources as varied as graffiti, incantations, magical texts, proverbs, fables, astrological writings, and even the New Testament.

An essay by Knapp comparing the Invisible Romans to the 99% in America

Quote:

Confronted by the vivid lives of this vast Roman majority, we might ask, Why didn’t the slaves revolt? Why didn’t the women fight for more equality? Why didn’t ordinary men demand political power?

The answer is simple and for us disconcerting. No one in the Roman world could conceive of such massive change in a profoundly hierarchical and static society.

Even early Christians endorsed the existing order. As Paul states, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. … Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:1-7). There could be no clearer endorsement of the existing order of things.

sotto voce · 01-20-2012, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Invisible Romans (or via: amazon.co.uk) by Robert Knapp

The author, a classicist, uses original sources including the New Testament to describe the social history of the non-elite classes in the Roman Empire.

Quote:

What survives from the Roman Empire is largely the words and lives of the rich and powerful: emperors, philosophers, senators. Yet the privilege and decadence often associated with the Roman elite was underpinned by the toils and tribulations of the common citizens. Here, the eminent historian Robert Knapp brings those invisible inhabitants of Rome and its vast empire to light.

He seeks out the ordinary folk—laboring men, housewives, prostitutes, freedmen, slaves, soldiers, and gladiators—who formed the backbone of the ancient Roman world, and the outlaws and pirates who lay beyond it. He finds their traces in the nooks and crannies of the histories, treatises, plays, and poetry created by the elite. Everyday people come alive through original sources as varied as graffiti, incantations, magical texts, proverbs, fables, astrological writings, and even the New Testament.

An essay by Knapp comparing the Invisible Romans to the 99% in America

Quote:

Confronted by the vivid lives of this vast Roman majority, we might ask, Why didn’t the slaves revolt? Why didn’t the women fight for more equality? Why didn’t ordinary men demand political power?

The answer is simple and for us disconcerting. No one in the Roman world could conceive of such massive change in a profoundly hierarchical and static society.

As we already know, here.

Quote:

Even early Christians endorsed the existing order. As Paul states, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. … Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:1-7). There could be no clearer endorsement of the existing order of things.

Spot the inevitable antichrist invention. No prizes.

'Even early Christians endorsed the existing order.'

Perhaps Knapp read one of my posts describing the Roman Empire as exploitative, making misery for millions. Maybe he got the idea for his book from my posts. But what he failed to notice is that Paul never put the gospel at hazard for the sake of political revolution. He was like Jesus in that respect, of course. They both believed in changing people from the inside, not from the outside. What is democracy worth if you go to hell after 'ten minutes' of vain freedom in this world?

Category error? Category blunder.

stephan huller · 01-20-2012, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Perhaps Knapp read one of my posts describing the Roman Empire

Unlikely

sotto voce · 01-20-2012, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephan huller

Quote:

Perhaps Knapp read one of my posts describing the Roman Empire

Unlikely

Why is that?

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