From Rome to Alexandria and from the deserts of Syria to Athens, Kathryn Nixey, in this impressive debut, tells the partly unknown and shocking story of a combative religion that eradicated the teachings of the classical world to inaugurate a long period of unquestionable submission to the "one true faith."

The Roman Empire embraced and assimilated new religions. While in the polytheistic world the addition of a new religion did not radically affect the older ones, everything changed with the emergence of Christianity. Although it preached peace and its martyrs walked toward death praising love, this new faith was violent, relentless, and intolerant.

And when it became the official religion of the empire, its fervent zealots set out to destroy the old gods. Their altars were overturned, their temples were demolished, and their statues were reduced to rubble. Books, including great philosophical and scientific works, were condemned to the flames. It was a true annihilation.