"It is widely believed that Christianity remained an essentially urban cult and that the population of the countryside clung for generations to the old beliefs. The word 'pagan' comes from paganus, or someone who lived in the countryside (pagus). Unfortunately, we know so little about the religious life in rural areas that this remains conjectural. Paganus was usually derogatory – something like 'yokel' or 'hick' would give the right idea – and may just reflect the common belief of urban dwellers that countrymen were dull and backward."
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Historical novelistsNon-fiction authors from the United KingdomUniversity of Oxford alumniHistorians from the United KingdomNovelists from the United Kingdom
Original Language: English
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How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower (2009) pt. 2, ch. 12
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Adrian_Goldsworthy
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Adrian Goldsworthy
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