Christianity and Hellenism in the fifth-century Greek east

"This book is the first full-length study of the 'last and most beautiful' apology against paganism, Theodoret’s Therapeutic for Hellenic Maladies. Combining close readings of the text, the book analyzes in detail Theodoret’s arguments against Greek religion, philosophy, and culture and the ways in which that Greek influence interacts with other diverse ideas, practices, and developments in the fifth-century Roman empire. The book’s larger underlying themes, such as the continuing debate between Christianity and Hellenism - the relationship between classical and Christian literature—offer insights into more general late Roman and early Byzantine religious and cultural attitudes and issues, including the relations between pagan and Christian paideia, the cult of the martyrs, and the role of Christianity in the Roman empire"--Back cover.