Description: Founded by Mani (c. AD 216-276), a Syrian visionary of Judaeo-Christian ancestry from Persian Mesopotamia, Manichaeism spread rapidly into the Roman Empire in the third and fourth centuries AD and became one of the most persecuted heresies under Christian Roman emperors. This collection of sources draws from material mostly unknown to English-speaking scholars and students. The religion established missionary cells in Syria, Egypt, North Africa and Rome and included Augustine of Hippo as the most famous of its converts.
Brief description: Dr Iain Gardner is Chair and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Studies in Religion, Sydney University. He has published widely in Coptic and Manichaean studies, including the standard The Kephalaia of the Teacher (1995). He is also editor for the newly found Manichaean texts from the Dakhleh Oasis.
Review Quotes: "This book is a valuable resource for those interested in the Manichaean religion." - Birger A. Pearson, University of California