BOOK REVIEW: The Gladiator

So, I just finished this book and I must say it was not all I expected it to be. There were sections where it seemed as if the author (Alan Baker) was all over the place with his thoughts. The thing I did enjoy, however, is that it helped me to get a sense for how savage Ancient Rome actually was before Christianity began to take root under the Emperor Constantine. I've been indulging my Rome kick with this book for the past couple weeks. This book was really descriptive and went into pretty lurid detail as it described the life of a typical gladiator and the intense showdowns that took place in that majestic Flavian Amphitheater. I do recommend this book but only for those who are seriously interested in Roman culture. I can't imagine what it must have been like for those who were forced to kill or be killed while 50,000 screaming Romans watched and pointed. I enjoyed how the book ended with a fictional but probably pretty accurate recreation of what a typical day in the Colisseum was probably like.

BOOK REVIEW: Ancient Rome

So I've been on this weird Rome fascination for a few months and I just finished this book. Honestly, I feel like I deserve some type of trophy for making it all the way through! It was a really long read and it can get somewhat slow at times. All in all, though, it ws really rewarding to make it through and I found myself intrigued by this horribly barbaric and yet innovative culture.

It helped me as I constantly read with the perspective that "This is what a culture absolutely devoid of Jesus Christ or God's Word is destined to become."! Often times I think of a culture without Christ to look like small barbaric tribes in the Congo while the reality is that a people can be innovative, creative, well-fed and even commercially prosperous and yet morally bankrupt, blood-thirsty and power-hungry.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this book was reading about Rome's persecution of the first Christians and how it backfired on them. Christianity actually gained momentum as Christians were slaughtered in the Colisseum because the people in the stands found their faith and commitment even unto death so fascinating and awe-inspiring.

I definetely recommend this for any history-buffs but buyer beware: it takes a time commitment to make it through!!