The Early History of Greed

The history of avarice as the deadliest vice in western Europe has been said to begin in earnest only with the rise of capitalism or, earlier, the rise of a money economy. In this first full-length study of the early history of greed, Richard Newhauser shows that avaritia, the sin of greed for possessions, has a much longer history, and is more important for an understanding of the Middle Ages, than has previously been allowed. His examination of theological and literary texts composed between the first century CE and the tenth century reveals new significance in the portrayal of various kinds of greed, to the extent that by the early Middle Ages avarice was available to head the list of vices for authors engaged in the task of converting others from pagan materialism to Christian spirituality.

• First full-length study of the early history of greed and avarice • Shows for the first time that greed and avarice were dominant in literature and thought well before the rise of capitalism • Throws new light on greed and avarice as most prominent in list of vices for authors trying to convert others from pagan materialism to Christian spirituality

List of abbreviations; Preface; 1. Alms and ascetes, round stones and masons: avarice in the early church; 2. Ascetic transformations I: monks and the laity in eastern Christendom; 3. Ascetic transformations II: soaring eagles or safety in the herd - from anchoritic to cenobitic monasticism; 4. Ascetic transformations III: the Latin west in the fourth and fifth centuries; 5. Secularizing avarice and cupidity; Epilogue: Future perspectives; Appendix; Notes; Bibliography; Indexes.

‘Newhauser has created a thought-provoking study that points beyond moralism to economic theory.’ Journal of Ecclesiastical History