Terme de Glossaire

Pagan

A word which etymologically designates an inhabitant of the pagus (‘rural territory’) and which is also applied to followers of the polytheistic cults of the ancient Roman and Germanic religions, and then more widely, since the 3rd century, to ‘non-Christians.’ The common origin of the terms ‘peasant’ and ‘pagus’ is explained by the fact that the progress of Christianity was slower in the countryside than it was in the towns.

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