Knife

I have read numerous books discussing the history of the bible. I would like to expand on what I have read and give myself a background for the biblical history I understand.

I would like to read an introductory general history book that discusses the time period from approximately 100 BCE to 400 CE.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Knife

Anybody?

Haran

Since these are intertestamental times, you will likely find few here who are very interested in that time period since it is after the last book of the Hebrew Bible and before the New Testament. So, if you are looking for "biblical" history, what exactly are you after?

You could find and read the Apocrypha (which Catholics, I believe, consider canonical) or a work about the apocrypha. Bruce Metzger has an excellent book on the Apocrypha that you should easily be able to find on amazon.com.

Of course, you might choose to read about Qumran and the Dead Sea scrolls.

I believe that Michael Grant has a book about Alexander the Great which would be during this time period.

I'm sure there are others, I just can't think of them off the top of my head. Perhaps someone else can provide a little more information, especially if you elaborate, perhaps, a little more about what specific subject(s) you are interested in (ie. Hellenization, texts, archaeology, etc.).

Sven

Alexander the Great was between 100 BCE and 400 CE?

David B

Some of your time period is covered here

http://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/home.html

I've not read the book, though, and I don't know how much modern scholarship has moved on from there.

David B

Toto

I'm not quite sure what you're after. You might want to read the relevant volumes from Will Durant's History of Civilization (In particular the on on Caesar and Christ (or via: amazon.co.uk)), although it is not up to date. Or Robin Lane Fox's Pagans and Christians (or via: amazon.co.uk)

Or put history roman empire in a search engine, and pick something - like The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Roman Empire (or via: amazon.co.uk).

andrewcriddle

Possibly you migh find Everett Ferguson's Backgrounds of Early Christianity of interest
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...ternetinfidels

Andrew Criddle

Roger Pearse

Try Colin McEvedy, Penguin Atlas of Ancient History. It's a small book with a map on one page and text against it, running up to around 400 AD. It will give you a better overview of what happened where and in what order than anything else.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Knife

Thanks to all and sorry for the confusion.

To be more specific, I am looking for a general history book that considers the time and general area that the authors of the New Testament were writing in and the gathering of the New Testament books.

I have read Misquoting Jesus, Lost Christianities, and The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture by Ehrman, Who Wrote the New Testament by Mack, The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man and Deconstructing Jesusby Price along with many internet essays, internet posts, and the NT itself. I enjoyed al the above books, especially the ones by Ehrman.

But now I want to know what else was going on, in general...such as scientific advances, philosophies, politics, wars, way of life from the poorest to the richest, etc.

My problem is that I went to the bookstore with the key words "Roman Empire" in my mind and there were just so many books with those words in the title, I didnt know where to start. I didnt want to just pick a book and once I began reading it realize it was poorly written or just too dry. SO I figured I would ask what others liked before venturing back to the book store.

It looks like Andrew Criddle hit the nail on the head with the Background of Christianity by Ferguson.

Thanks again to all.

mountainman

FWIW my approach to an attempted understanding of the history
of antiquity (that era of the first few hundred years CE) is to make
a comprehensive index of the AUTHORS of ANTIQUITY, and then
start the arduous task of mapping each author to their known works
of literature.

A draft index of authors of antiquity is here:
http://www.mountainman.com.au/essenes/article_029.htm

A sample author, where all known works have been listed
is Apollonius of Tyana, here:
http://www.mountainman.com.au/essene...of%20Tyana.htm

Authors, and often separately, their works of literature may need to
be classified into various categories, dependent upon the needs of
your research. Although this method is long and time consuming,
it will cover the ground of history during this period.

Certain problems will always exists, such as literature without an
agreed author (such as the Shepherd of Hermas, and perhaps
the Book of Enoch), while other works may be ascribed to a number
of authors.

Finally, perhaps select out of this list those who are deemed to be
themselves "independent historians", and start with their literature,
or english translations thereof.

Best wishes on the path of discovery.


Pete Brown