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The Darkening Age
- The Christian Destruction of the Classical World
- Narrated by: Lalla Ward
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
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The Darkening Age
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Publisher's Summary
In The Darkening Age, Catherine Nixey tells the little-known - and deeply shocking - story of how a militant religion deliberately tried to extinguish the teachings of the Classical world, ushering in unquestioning adherence to the 'one true faith'.
The Roman Empire had been generous in embracing and absorbing new creeds. But with the coming of Christianity, everything changed. This new faith, despite preaching peace, was violent, ruthless and intolerant. And once it became the religion of empire, its zealous adherents set about the destruction of the old gods. Their altars were upturned, their temples demolished and their statues hacked to pieces. Books, including great works of philosophy and science, were consigned to the pyre. It was an annihilation.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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What listeners say about The Darkening Age
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Prasanna Naidu
- 14-02-20
Eye Opening
It introduces you to the era of European Roman empire, its treasure of Art, Philosophy & knowledge.
Then how the followers of Christianity destroyed it, how their scholars, philosophers were tortured, their libraries and temples destroyed. Everything is covered in brief and conveyed through stories.
Narrator has also done a good job.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nora
- 28-10-19
Eye-opening
This book has changed my view on Christianity, its influence over culture and custom today and the roman empire considerably. Some of the parallels to today's world are scary and remind the reader that history repeats itself. We must remain a curious and questioning society!
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Christopher M.
- 08-02-19
The Original ISIS
Changes the way that we view the Dark Ages - from being one caused by the fall of the Roman empire to the result of freedom of thought, speech and pluralism being snuffed out by the evils of monotheism. Reading the reviews of this book it is only Christians taking umbrage giving negative reviews. At least these days they have been tempered by secularism and they can no longer burn us...
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 30-07-18
Good story, rather subjective at times
Feel like the base pattern was established prior to the writing. Christianity did this! It did but would have liked a more objective story, not a story solely subjective. It is not bad, learned a lot. But wanted more..
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amit
- 10-01-23
Eye opening book and superb performance
I absolutely loved it and truly learned a lot. The diction and performance by the narrator was perfection. Hope to listen to more from the author and the narrator
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Aud
- 27-07-22
Fascinating dive into fanaticism
Excellent listen on how the zealotry and fanaticism of the early Christian church and what was lost as a result.
And the PR spun the in-power church leaders over the following centuries.
I especially liked the analysis of the martyrs and the fear of contamination from the ‘demons’ of the pagan gods/worship.
Has parallels to the modem era, naturally. And sadly we keep seeing this behaviour again and again.
Recommended reading.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Utilisateur anonyme
- 11-02-20
interesting view point
I was always wondering way from 5th century empire collapse now I got understand able explanation.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris Welch
- 08-08-19
An absolute MUST READ
This is what you should have learned at school but didn't, the destruction of the classical world, free thinking and philosophy by Christianity and it's followers has been ongoing for as long as the lie has been perpetuated. This well written and well researched book brings to life a well hidden history of the destruction of the classical world and the perforated stories of early Christianity which became doctrine. A real page turner this book really is an excellent read, thoroughly enjoyed every page.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- joshua hodson
- 16-01-19
Refreshing perspective but full of misinformation.
This book does give a redreshing look at the history of the era, however I couldn't relax into as there were a multitude of factual errors made and information left out, seemingly designed to fit a particular narrative, the accuracy of the information seems to have suffered.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- TwoHeadedTroll
- 24-10-19
Interesting portrait
I really enjoyed the book. It is clearly well researched on a subject that gets far too little coverage. I have three comments to make though: 1) it is a subjective portrait of early christianity, not a balanced analysis, despite being informative. For example, the gruesome graphic murder of Hypatia could be seen as a power struggle between elements of christianity rather than an assault on philosophy. 2) it is somewhat repetitive: lots of statues (nearly all) were torn down and destroyed, but we dont need to hear about each individually 3) the decision to jump around dates makes it a confusing structure as an audio book. This is less confusing as a print book. Nonetheless, it was very informative and a pleasure to listen to.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- L
- 08-09-18
Fascinating
This book was a real education for me . It explains how history has been manipulated. It is extremely thought-provoking. I can not recommend it highly enough. Gripping , so much information- I may re read it .
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- diocletian9
- 18-07-19
This book has changed my view of world history.
Until reading this book, like many non Christians, I saw the rise of Christianity in a broadly sympathetic light; as a largely inevitable step along the the long a difficult road to a humanistic society. This work has changed my mind. Christianity was clearly a disaster for the classical world, for Europe and for the world as a whole.
While this may not be the author's opinion, it is where her fascinating and highly engaging narrative has lead me too.
Also, Lalla Ward is a fantastic narrator.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Diego
- 28-01-19
A must read book
The triumph of Christianity, the violent and intolerant religion. One can see the imposition of unique thinking that’s spreads all over the words nowadays.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jon lanģley
- 19-10-19
Bleak
Not a good account of the early church, though I dare say it's mostly true. Too much attention paid to ancient scholars who were anti Christian in my opinion. I guess that's the whole point of the book however. Yes, I am sure that the early church authorities acted like the Stasi or KGB &c. enforcing the rule of probably the world's first one party dictatorship, but it was a great disappointment for me to hear it in such bleak, harsh terms, though in recognition of the work put in by the author who may be passionate about her subject I have given it a high star rating. I hesitate to recommend though as I don't know who might enjoy this type of thing. Certainly not a Christian like myself and probably not anyone anti Christian either because it's not scholarly enough or doesn't go far enough.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrspatriciacherry
- 12-04-19
So enlightening
This book is so provoking with its information about the persecution BY the Christian in the Centuries.
If Jesus did say all the things that the Bible tells us about, he must have been heartbroken and devastated at what went on in his name.
As someone who grew up in a fundamental Christian household, I can hear shadows to this day of the Dogma and sheer arrogance of these early Christians. I have also been under the false impression that they were the persecuted and even taught that it was good to be so. Even in this day and age.
This is one of the reasons why I have turned my back on any church. Especially Fundamentalist movements.
Thank you Catherine for writing this book. I hope I’m among many readers who have been enlightened.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tracey Spark
- 15-07-20
An excellent book
The untold, or perhaps unacknowledged story of the vandalism and extremist path of Christianity through the classical pagan world. Not a pretty read, but essential if you're going to gain any perspective on the history of religion.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Jonathan Lowenstein
- 10-02-20
Fascinating history
This is a very interesting account of a disturbing and forgotten period in Mediterranean history. It feels very relevant to modern times.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Sheena
- 10-04-20
Beautifully performed & Riveting tale
Fabulous read. The story of the impact of the early Christian church & its followers on ordinary life. Beautifully read by Lalla Ward..perfect tone, pace ...she made the words spring to life. Thank you. Highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dahut
- 21-02-20
Brilliant
Factual, provable evidenced based and wonderfully narrated. Not biased at all, only truth and facts, a bias occurs when the facts are misrepresented or ignored based solely on another’s theological, personal or political belief with no allowance or tolerance for ones who question everything and freely think! Not the case with this writer.
Religion and the heads of organised religions have been creators of misery, darkness and destruction for far too long.
Brilliant book based on fact and truth. Thank you.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-08-20
A must read for any enthusiastic about history
A history of a mostly forgotten and purposefully omitted time period. Fantastic information, well told that will chill the soul of any lover of history.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Amnon
- 28-06-22
The real story behind the rise of Christianity
The fascinating and disturbing history of the rise of Christianity in the 3rd-5th centuries indicates the uncanny similarities between early Christianity and the brutal Taliban or ISIS. How millions of citizens in the old world were forced to convert to Christianity and abandon all other religions, the horrific destruction of statues, art and ancient treasures (just like the acts of the Taliban in modern day Afghanistan or of ISIS in Syria), and most of all - the torture and mass killing of anyone who dared to oppose.
More than a great read / listen, this is an important part of history that most people (including myself) had almost no knowledge about. I strongly recommend it to anyone who has even the mildest of interest in history and / or religion.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Atheos
- 15-12-21
A very well put together book.
Historical real life examples of the stain of christianity on humanity.
The stain continues.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Green Scene
- 29-01-21
uncovering a truth
loved it. presented another view of the stifling nature of the Christian religion. Would we be a more tolerant and enlightened civilisation if we had not endured 2000 years of repression.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- peastri
- 14-04-19
Good read
Passionately one sided narrative that I found quite entertaining. Would recommend alongside other more balanced source materials should you be wanting to learn more about this period in human history.