The City of God
Across twenty-two books Augustine answers pagans who blamed Christianity for the sack of Rome, criticizes Roman religion and the theology of the philosophers, then traces the origin, course and ends of two cities defined by what they love. Political order appears as necessary but fragile, never the place of final happiness.
Understanding the text
Begun in 413, three years after Alaric’s Goths sacked Rome in 410, and completed around 426, the work grew over long years of composition and controversy. Its earthly city is not a theory of the state in the modern sense, and its passages on war, punishment and coercion have been read in conflicting ways.
Key points
- 01
Critique of Rome
The first ten books examine Roman gods, virtues and glory, arguing that the love of praise explains both Rome’s achievements and its moral limits.
- 02
Two cities
Two loves found two cities, love of self and love of God; they remain intermingled in history and are separated only at the end.
- 03
Peace
Book 19 defines peace as the tranquillity of order and describes a people as a multitude united by agreement on what it loves.
Explore the ideas in depth
History and the two cities
Read The City of God as a response to the fall of Rome and a reflection on what politics can and cannot achieve.
Situating the text
Begun in 413, three years after Alaric’s Goths sacked Rome in 410, and completed around 426, the work grew over long years of composition and controversy. Its earthly city is not a theory of the state in the modern sense, and its passages on war, punishment and coercion have been read in conflicting ways. Across twenty-two books Augustine answers pagans who blamed Christianity for the sack of Rome, criticizes Roman religion and the theology of the philosophers, then traces the origin, course and ends of two cities defined by what they love. Political order appears as necessary but fragile, never the place of final happiness.
Following the arguments
Critique of Rome : The first ten books examine Roman gods, virtues and glory, arguing that the love of praise explains both Rome’s achievements and its moral limits. Two cities : Two loves found two cities, love of self and love of God; they remain intermingled in history and are separated only at the end. Peace : Book 19 defines peace as the tranquillity of order and describes a people as a multitude united by agreement on what it loves.
Continuing the reading
Begin with Books 1 and 19, then read the end of Book 14 on the two loves; abridged editions help, but check which chapters they leave out. Begun in 413, three years after Alaric’s Goths sacked Rome in 410, and completed around 426, the work grew over long years of composition and controversy. Its earthly city is not a theory of the state in the modern sense, and its passages on war, punishment and coercion have been read in conflicting ways.
Questions to carry into your reading
- What does a community love, and how does that love define it?
- Which kind of peace can an earthly city secure, and which lies beyond it?
For Augustine politics can secure a limited peace but cannot be the source of final happiness.
How to read it
Begin with Books 1 and 19, then read the end of Book 14 on the two loves; abridged editions help, but check which chapters they leave out.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗