Religion (AD 284-628)

Ecclesiastical Factionalism and Religious Controversy in Fifth-Century Gaul by Ralph Mathisen (1989; ISBN 978-0813206585) PhD-Level Political Social Religious – Mathisen’s work is exactly as the title describes – this is a comprehensive history of the Lerins controversy and the ecclesiastical infighting between the Roman Orthodox church and the various “heresies” and ecclesiastical factions in late antique Gaul. If you enjoy reading about the medieval investiture controversy, you will enjoy this book. The Final Pagan Generation by Edward Watts (2015; ISBN 978-0520283701) Advanced Political Social Religious – Watts examines the lives of four prominent men (Libanius, Themistius, Ausonius, and Vettius Agorus Praetextus) in the 300’s as the empire transitioned from structurally pagan institutions to a new set of Christian institutions. These four figures serve as a lens through which this transformation can be viewed, including Julian’s reactionary measures and the subsequent reaction from Gratian and Theodosius.