Christianity and Greek Hellenism were fundamentally at odds in Rome. Over the centuries, one religion rose in prominence while the other dissolved into irrelevance. Zeus’ worshipers controlled the cultural norms, but now they are an insignificant and minuscule number on paper. This radical change occurred because of the truth of the Gospel. It fascinated civilization … More Ethical Analysis: Jesus and Zeus

The Gospel of Mark is a fascinating book. Of the four Gospels in the Bible, it’s the shortest, delving into Jesus’ ministry immediately. In some ways, Mark is stylistically the opposite of John in that Mark is short, concise, and directly to the point. In contrast, the author of John elaborates on theologically rich substance … More Jesus’ Division with the Pharisees—Mark, Pt. 2

Horace was a renowned Roman poet who lived under Emperor Augustus’ reign. As a close associate to Maecenas, Emperor Augustus’ right-hand man, Horace was a well-informed witness of Rome’s transition into imperialism. The man was politically connected. However, he lived in an age of stringent regulations against pro-republic literature and avoided political poems for the … More Horace and Ethical Causation

Ovid’s Metamorphoses was about the fascinating fictional tale of Rome’s founding. The book went through the world’s birth from chaos, the creation of humans, battles between gods and men, Romulus and Remis, and the death of Julius Caesar. It was a gripping tale of deplorable dissension and cunning bravery. The book painted a very vivid … More Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’: A Tale of Gross Misconduct

Livy and Ovid were Roman historians who lived under the reign of Octavian Augustus. I use the word “historian” loosely, as Livy’s sections on how Rome was founded are dubious at best. Ovid is on another matter entirely. Regardless, they are still Roman classics, recommended under Dr. Gary North’s literature course, not Tom Wood’s history … More Livy and Ovid on Roman Optimism and Mass Bloodshed

            Catiline launched his famous conspiracy in Rome to consolidate personal power. After losing the consulship to Cicero, he assembled an army to march on the Republic’s capital. In response, Cicero gave four orations to the Senate. All of them were masterful works of rhetoric. Through speech alone, Catiline was persuaded to leave Rome. He … More Cicero and the Power of Fear