PAX: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age (Extract)

The Divine Comedy is an Italian narrative poem begun around 1308 and completed around 1321. It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The poem discusses the state of the soul after death and presents an image of divine justice, describing Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. It is an allegory representing the soul's journey towards God, drawing on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy. The work is considered one of the greatest in Italian literature and Western literature, and it helped establish the Tuscan language as the standardized Italian language.

This book provides an in-depth look at the making of the first two seasons of HBO's Game of Thrones. It includes interviews with key creative forces behind the show, profiles of major characters, family trees, and detailed descriptions of pivotal scenes such as the storming of King's Landing. The book helps viewers understand the complex storylines and character relationships, making it a valuable resource for fans of the series.

In 'Peace,' Aristophanes tells the story of Trygaeus, a farmer who flies to heaven on a dung beetle to rescue the goddess Peace, who has been imprisoned by the gods. The play celebrates the return of peace to Greece after years of war, highlighting both the joys and challenges of this new era. It was first performed in 421 BCE, shortly before the Peace of Nicias.

This book is a detailed commentary on the Book of Revelation, written by Ernest Findlay Scott. Published in 1940, it provides an in-depth analysis of the biblical text, offering insights into its historical, theological, and literary context. Scott's work is considered a significant contribution to biblical scholarship, particularly in the field of New Testament studies.

This magisterial history, written by Edward Gibbon, covers the peak of the Roman Empire, the history of early Christianity, the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and the rise and fall of various other empires and civilizations up to the fall of Byzantium in 1453. Gibbon's work is renowned for its thorough scholarship, diverse sources, and engaging prose. He argues that the Roman Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions partly due to the gradual loss of civic virtue among its citizens and critiques the role of Christianity in the empire's decline. The work was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1789 and has remained a seminal work in historical literature despite some criticisms from modern scholars.

Josephus's "The Jewish War" provides a detailed account of the First Jewish-Roman War (66-73 CE). It covers the political and military events leading to the war, the various factions within Jewish society, and the Roman campaigns. The book is a significant historical source for understanding the period, offering insights into the social, religious, and political dynamics of Judea under Roman rule. It's considered a primary source, though Josephus's biases and potential for self-aggrandizement must be considered. The work remains a cornerstone of understanding this pivotal moment in Jewish history.