The World of Ben-Hur

by Mike Aquilina

A must-have for fans of the epic film, acclaimed author Mike Aquilina offers an unflinching look at the life and times in which the epic adventure of Ben-Hur is set. By exploring the gripping times in which the Roman Empire ruled the world, countless scenes throughout the film will have greater meaning and a significance that only knowledge of history can provide. You'll come to a deeper understanding of the Roman penal system that led Judah Ben-Hur to the galleys, the struggle to survive disease and martyrdom, the inevitable destiny of the slave, and the truth about the Roman games that gave birth to the famous chariot race that remains one of the most memorable experiences in cinematic history. As we strip away centuries of accumulated tradition and look at Jesus of Nazareth with fresh eyes, you'll also share with Ben-Hur the exciting, confusing, and life-changing experience of meeting Jesus for the first time. Armed with new wisdom and keen insights into the fascinating history of the Roman Empire, you'll never watch Ben-Hur the same again.

167 pages, Paperback

Published August 11, 2016

About the author

Mike Aquilina is author or editor of more than thirty books, including The Fathers of the Church, The Mass of the Early Christians, and A Year with the Church Fathers. He has co-hosted eight series that air on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). He has co-authored books with Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and theologian Scott Hahn. He is past editor of New Covenant magazine and The Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. He appears weekly on Sirius Radio's "Sonrise Morning Show." Mike and his wife, Terri, have six children, who are the subject of his book Love in the Little Things.

In 2011 Mike was a featured presenter of the U.S. Bishops' Diocesan Educational/Catechetical Leadership Institute. He also wrote the USCCB's theological reflection for Catechetical Sunday in 2011.

His reviews, essays and journalism have appeared in many journals, including First Things, Touchstone, Crisis, Our Sunday Visitor, National Catholic Register, and Catholic Heritage. He contributed work on early Christianity to the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought.

Mike is a also poet whose works have appeared in U.S. literary journals and have been translated into Polish and Spanish. He shared songwriting credits with Grammy Award-winner Dion DiMucci on the forthcoming album "Tank Full of Blues."

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a supplemental resource for those who are reading Ben-Hur or watching films like "The Young Messiah" or "Risen" - this is a really excellent work. Aquilina takes some of the major questions or cultural nuances from the story and provides rich context and explanation.

[Tony Laplume · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the previous Mike Aquilina book I've read (The Fathers of the Church), he doesn't seem to know when or how to select excerpts from books he references, although he remains an interesting way to peer into history. What really drags down the reading experience of World of Ben-Hur, however, is that Aquilina somewhat obviously dashed off a companion book about Ben-Hur without referencing or having seen the 2016 version (see the cover). Kind of an obvious oversight. That's where his generous excerpts really stick out as padding, which feel like padding for such a short book.

[Timothy Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

To call this book lazy would be an understatement. Judea at the time of Jesus was one of the most fascinating places and one of the most extensively researched so a book like this could be a great way to introduce people to that world. Yet the only sources for this book seem to be the Gospels, the novel Ben-Hur and the movie. Now I am more than willing to grant the Gospels are a definite source about the period but they need to be explained themselves to be properly understood, and if you don't believe that someone tell me why we have commentaries almost as old as the Gospels themselves. Just a completely wasted opportunity that I regret paying full price for.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading “The World Jesus Knew”, this was SO much more appropriately researched!

[Ross Nesbitt]

Very fun read. Entertaining and informative. Thought provoking but never preachy. I gained a good understanding of the advantages of Christian civilization guided by moral goals compared to a power vs. powerless dynamic under Roman rule.