Martyrdom And Persecution In The Early Church

The definitive survey of martyrdom and persecution during the first four centuries of the Church. In this classic work, the late W.H.C. Frend explores the mindset of those who suffered persecution as well as the motivation of those who persecuted them. He shows the critical importance for early Christians of Jewish ideas, influenced heavily as thye were by the story of Daniel and the trauma of the revolt of the Maccabeean. He also argues that the Christian concept of martyrdom, so highly regarded among early Christians, can only be understood as springing from Jewish roots.