that a belief in the soul's immortality would tend to remove moral restraint, and have a prejudicial effect on human life.

Never specifically identifying his pagan adversaries, some of whom may be straw men, set up to be demolished, Arnobius argues in defence of monotheism, Christianity deus princeps, deus summus, and the divinity of Christ. He praises Christianity's rapid diffusion, credits it with civilizing barbarians,