Fustel de Coulanges (1830–1889)

Thesis is that ancient religion was ancestor worship with primogeniture. Christianity eventually overturned that.

12/2/22

I found the most valuable insight at the very beginning of the book - history writes itself into the culture. If you observe the culture you can infer some of it. And culture, barring extraordinary upheavals will change at the pace of a glacier. The rest of the book is also enthralling but somewhat less spectacular than this initial confident outburst.

Un classique sur la société antique, son droit, sa politique et sa religion.