Queens of a Fallen World : Basic Books : 9781399807982 : 1399807986 : 15 Feb 2024 : FINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2023 'A brilliant new take' Janina Ramirez, author of Femina 'A masterpiece of the historian's art' Peter Brown, author of Augustine of Hippo The powerful and surprising story of the four remarkable women who changed Augustine's life - and history - forever. While many know of St Augustine and the Confessions, few know of the women whose hopes and dreams shaped his early life: his mother, Monnica of Thagaste; his lover; his fiancée; and Justina, the troubled empress of ancient Rome. Drawing upon their depictions in the Confessions, historian Kate Cooper skilfully reconstructs their lives against the backdrop of the late Roman Empire to paint a vivid portrait of the turbulent society they and Augustine moved through. She shows how despite their often precarious position, these women tried in their different ways to influence the world around them and argues that