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HISTORY VAULT

Italian writer Dante described pride as the "chief of all sins" as the sin of Satan himself, yet Romans and Vikings made pride their greatest virtue; the origins of pride.

Seven Deadly Sins

Pride

The sin of anger is the sin that kills; Moses was prone to fits of rage; ancient Spartan warriors meditated to banish anger before a battle; some believe anger is really possession of the body by the demon Ammon; the chemical elements of anger.

Anger

Though condemned by the Bible, greed has both created and doomed vast empires; wise men ranging from Aristotle to Jesus have railed against greed, but 18th-century economist Adam Smith theorized it was the basis of capitalism.

Greed

Some scientists suggest the sin of sloth might actually be a medieval diagnosis of clinical depression; examining whether sloth is a sin or a disease; historical cures ranging from herbs to prayer, fasting and grafting goat glands for pep.

Sloth

The sin of gluttony isn't mentioned in the Bible, but as early as the fourth century, some Christians believed eating too much could send someone to hell; gluttony is regarded as the cause of obesity and alcoholism.

Gluttony

History shows envy as a sin that has led to murder, revolution and even the fall of empires; examining whether envy has become a virtue instead of a vice in today's image-saturated world.

Envy

Christianity considers lust a sin, but ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated it; Gnostic Christian orgies; Puritan anti-fornication laws; exorcists battle the demon of lust called Asmodeus.

Lust

Documentary series that investigates the history of the seven deadly sins.