This is a single-volume book of Paul Maier's trilogy of the origins of Christianity. In "The First Christmas" the author uses Roman history, Palestinian geography, Jewish culture and the most recent archaeological finds to uncover new information about the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Jesus. "The First Easter" focuses not only on the Resurrection, but on those critical years and days preceding it. Here the nature of the conspiracy against Jesus is revealed, the politics behind the Crucifixion are unravelled, and an absolute date is set for Good Friday. The author also provides new evidence concerning the empty tomb and the actual events of the first Easter morning. The unprecedented spread of Christianity across the Mediterranean world was sparked by extraordinary events in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. "The First Christians" fills in the little-known background of this festival and gives a vivid account of the phenomena that took place in the upper room in Jerusalem that day. From the author of "Pontius Pilate" and "The Flames of Rome".