And Man Created God: A History of the World in the Time of Jesus

o explore the power that religious belief has had over societies through the ages Selina OGrady takes the reader on a dazzling 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 religious options available the empires at the time of Jesus chose the religions they did? Why did Chinas rulers hitch their fate to Confucianism a philosophy more than a religion? And why was a tiny Jewish cult led by Jesus eventually adopted by Romes emperors rather than the cult of Isis which was far more popular and widespread? The Jesus cult followed by no more than 100 people at the time of his death should by rights have disappeared in a few generations. Instead it became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Why did Christianity grow so quickly to become the predominant world religion? What was it about its teachings that so appealed to people? And Man Creat