ABSTRACT
The literary works of Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus represent an important epoch in the history of attitudes towards the foetus and embryo. Tertullian was more influenced by Roman custom than he would perhaps have admitted, since the contrast between pagan and Christian attitudes on abortion was more rhetorical than real. He was a prime candidate for recognition as a great Christian scholar, since he was a prolific author and an expert in the technique of rhetoric. Tertullian's was the voice of the upper classes in the process of flux, with the education customary to the Roman elite now complimented by Christian teaching. This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is devoted to Tertullian's understanding of prenatal biology. It also assesses Tertullian's engagement with Roman cultural attitudes concerning abortion, considering the question of whether the Romano-African polemicist truly diverged from Roman thought in his attitude toward the unborn.
