City of God

Saint Augustine, also known as Augustine of Hippo, is revered as one of the preeminent philosophers and theologians of late antiquity, with a profound impact on the development of Western Christianity and philosophy. Born on November 13, 354, in present-day Algeria, Augustine's early life was marked by a pursuit of pleasure and a keen interest in rhetoric and Manicheism, before his conversion to Christianity under the tutelage of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in 386. Augustine's extensive theological legacy is encapsulated in his Confessions, which detail his spiritual journey, and his magnum opus, the City of God (De Civitate Dei), an exemplary treatise against paganism and a foundational text for the development of just war theory and the concept of original sin. His writings also heavily influenced the doctrine of the Catholic Church and the shaping of Western thought. Augustine's literary style married inventive narrative, passionate argumentation, and profound theological insight, establishing him as a cornerstone of Christian apologetics. His death on August 28, 430, did little to wane his influence, with his works continuing to offer rich material for theological and philosophical scholarship.