And man created God : a history of the world at the time of Jesus

And Man Created God is a sweeping exploration of the changing religions of the empires and peoples of the world at the time of Jesus: a work of extraordinary richness and ambition, this is popular history at its best. At the time of Jesus's birth, the world was in ferment. Across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia - societies rife with gods and messiahs, priests and warriors - the old certainties of family, village and tribe were being overturned. Religion was becoming the source of order and stability. And Man Created God takes the reader on a dazzling journey across the empires of the ancient world to reveal how emperors and kings manipulated religion to consolidate their power. In Rome, Augustus was deified by his brilliant spin doctors; in what is now Sudan, the warrior queen Amanirenas exploited her godlike status to inspire her armies to face, and defeat, Rome; while in China, the usurper Wang Mang won and lost the throne over his obsession with Confucianism. In this riveting account of the interplay of faith and power, Selina O'Grady answers the most urgent question of all: how did the tiny Jesus cult triumph over more popular religions - the goddess Isis, the miracle worker Apollonius, even the cult of Augustus - to become the world's dominant faith? At The Time Of Jesus' Birth, Thousands Of People Were Leaving Their Families And Tribes Behind And Flocking Into Brand New Multi-ethnic Cities. The World Was Undergoing The First Phase Of Globalization, And In This Ferment Rulers And Ruled Turned To Religion As A Source Of Order And Stability. The World Was Full Of Gods, Competing And Merging With One Another. Selina O'grady Takes The Reader On A Journey Across The Empires Of The Ancient World And Introduces Us To Rulers, Merchants, Messiahs, Priests And Holy Men. Throughout, She Seeks To Answer Why, Amongst The Countless Options Available, The Empires At The Time Chose The Religions They Did? Why Did China's Rulers Hitch Their Fate To Confucianism, A Philosophy More Than A Religion? And Why Was A Tiny Jewish Cult Eventually Adopted By Rome's Emperors Rather Than The Far More Popular And Widespread Cult Of Isis? O'grady Looks At Why And How Religions Have Had Such An Immense Impact On Human History And In Doing So Uncovers The Ineradicable Connection Between Politics And Religion--a Connection Which Still Defines Us In Our Own Age.--from Publisher Description. The Rebranding Of Rome -- Augustus : God And First Citizen -- Alexandria : Gods In The City -- The African Goddess-queen -- The Mirage Of Arabia : Rome's Fiasco -- How Herod And The Pharisees Radicalized The Jews -- Galilee : Jesus And The Messiah-bandits -- Castrating Priests And Trading Gods In Palmyra -- Political And Religious Chaos In Parthia -- A Pagan Christ In Babylon -- India : Brahmins Versus Monks -- The Buddha In A Toga -- Confucius' Religion For Civil Servants -- Wang Mang The Pious Usurper -- The Dragon Who Flew Too High -- Recalcitrant Spirits : The German Resistance -- Rome : The Emperor Becomes God -- The Death Of Jesus -- And Paul Created Christ. Selina O'grady. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

At the time of Jesus's birth, the world was in ferment. Across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia - societies rife with gods and messiahs, priests and warriors - the old certainties of family, village and tribe were being overturned. Religion was becoming the source of order and stability.

And Man Created God takes the reader on a dazzling journey across the empires of the ancient world to reveal how emperors and kings manipulated religion to consolidate their power. In Rome, Augustus was deified by his brilliant spin doctors; in what is now Sudan, the warrior queen Amanirenas exploited her godlike status to inspire her armies to face, and defeat, Rome; while in China, the usurper Wang Mang won and lost the throne over his obsession with Confucianism.

In this riveting account of the interplay of faith and power, Selina O'Grady answers the most urgent question of all: how did the tiny Jesus cult triumph over more popular religions - the goddess Isis, the miracle worker Apollonius, even the cult of Augustus - to become the world's dominant faith?