Domination

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Domination

By: Alice Roberts

Narrated by: Alice Roberts

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About this listen

This is the story of the fall of an Empire – and the rise of another.

Who spread Christianity, how, and why? In her quest to find the answer, Professor Alice Roberts takes us on a gripping investigative journey. From a secluded valley in south Wales to the shores of Brittany; from the heart of the Roman Empire in a time of political turmoil to the ancient city of Corinth in the footsteps of the apostle Paul; from Alexandria in the fourth century to Constantinople.

As the Roman Empire crumbled in Western Europe, a shadow of power remained, almost perfectly mapping onto its disappearing territories. And then, it continued to spread. Unearthing the archaeological clues and challenging long-established histories, Professor Roberts tells a remarkable story about the relationship between the Roman Empire and Christianity.

Lifting the veil on secrets that have been hidden in plain sight, this story is nothing short of astonishing.

Domination is a page-turning exploration of power and its survival.

Archaeology

Inspiring

Middle Ages

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Critic reviews

'The story of how the Roman Empire became the Christian Empire has never been better explained. Alice Roberts's narrative energy and readability makes Domination a historical thriller of the highest quality' (Stephen Fry)

‘An incisive, provocative and sometimes polemical account of one of the most important organisations in human history’ (New Scientist)

‘Domination blasts new light into the seemingly dark moments when Christianity emerged as the predominant religion of empires. Sweeping across texts, objects, individuals, and putting material culture and archaeological revelations centre stage, this is an epic reevaluation of a time that still defines so many across the world to the present day. Robert’s captivating writing takes you on a journey back through time, unravelling mysteries by plunging into the earth to see the echoes left by people, their beliefs and their systems of power' (Janina Ramirez)

‘A wonderfully accessible slice of archaeological history’ (i)

Most relevant

I wasn’t quite sure where this book was going in the first chapter but I had confidence that the author did. As the book unfolds many threads come together. Alice Roberts has a scientist’s respect for evidence, not just archaeology but biology, cultural, textual and linguistic research. Where the evidence is incomplete she proceeds cautiously and delivers qualified interpretations drawing on a multidisciplinary approach and consulting other experts. She also has a shrewd sense of universal human behaviour and drives. She isn’t cynical, just realistic about motivations. She prefers simple explanations to elaborate motivated reasoning.
There’s a tendency in academic fields to resent trespassing, especially when authority and esoteric knowledge is being challenged. Religious scholarship is an area where vested interests are at play and political forces are at work.
I find her conclusions compelling. She shows how
early messianic teachings were reformulated into a more pragmatic Roman form (blended with preexisting pagan beliefs ) to underpin and legitimise power. The christian church became the world’s first successful multinational corporation. The romanised church became a virtual monopoly like Amazon. The franchise underpinned most secular power, economic and social structures for centuries. The combination of spiritual and worldly power is one of the best con tricks ever devised & the idea constantly adapts.