In the first decades after Christ a small movement from the Middle East rapidly grew to become an empire-wide phenomenon. Soon there were established Christian communities spreading from Jerusalem to Rome, all grappling with the same issue: how to live their new-found faith?

A Social History of the Early Church seeks to answer this question by exploring what life was actually like for the first Christians. Through detailed analyses of archaeological evidence and contemporary accounts, Simon Jones addresses topics such as:

• the role of pagan religion
• people's sources of entertainment
• the nature of family life
• how societies were structured
• the changing role of women

Written in a highly accessible style and using boxed features to provide additional information on key topics, places and people, A Social History of the Early Church is a fascinating survey that brings this period vividly to life for scholars at all levels of study.