1. St Augustine of Hippo (d. 430)
From Numidia in Africa, son of pagan father
and Christian mother
Studied rhetoric in Carthage
Initially attracted by Manichaeism, then
Neoplatonism
Taught rhetoric in Rome, then (from 384)
Milan

2. St Augustine of Hippo (d. 430)
Heard preaching of St Ambrose (d. 397),
converted soon after
Became bishop of Hippo in 395, wrote
profusely

3. De Civitate Dei (City of God)
Written in response to sack of Rome by Goths
in 410
City of God = people who love God and will
eventually get to heaven
City of the World = people only concerned
with worldly things

4. De Civitate Dei (City of God)
States like Roman Empire help to control
people of City of the World, enabling
people of City of God to live in peace
People of City of God only owe permanent
allegiance to City of God
Worldly states are temporary, but Christianity
outlasts them
Vandals attacking Hippo as Augustine died

5. Confessiones (“Confessions”)
Begun in 397
confessiones = “confessions/praise”
Discussion questions:
1. What role does scripture play in
the text?
2. Where does Augustine use scripture
without explicitly quoting it?