Augustine is portrayed as a man of duty and desire, deeply connected to both Rome and Africa, striving for spiritual and social renewal amidst chaos.

Augustine’s role as a regional leader and thinker is seen as synthesizing Roman history and Christian doctrine, rooted in the African provincial context but influential across the Roman Empire.

Conybeare’s narrative style is rich, empathetic, and engaging, emphasizing Augustine’s life in North Africa, his cultural background, and the unique African Christian communities of his time.

Augustine’s African identity is demonstrated through his upbringing in a diverse Punic-speaking environment in Carthage, with his mixed Roman and Berber heritage central to his life and work.

Conybeare explores Augustine’s utopian longing for peace and contemplation, exemplified by his retreat to Cassiciacum, which was challenged by Africa’s political and religious instabilities, especially during the Vandal invasions.

Augustine's life journey from childhood in North Africa to his education in Carthage, and his reputation across Rome and Milan, highlights the social and cultural tensions he faced as he navigated different regions.

The Sack of Rome in 410 AD profoundly impacted Africa, prompting Augustine to respond with pastoral care and theological reflection, culminating in his writing of the 'City of God,' a work that bridges African and Roman perspectives.

Catherine Conybeare’s book 'Augustine the African' emphasizes Augustine’s African origins and context, challenging traditional Eurocentric narratives that focus solely on his Roman identity.

Conybeare vividly depicts Augustine’s conversion, his ordination amid local political and ecclesiastical disputes, and his efforts to navigate Africa’s complex religious landscape, including conflicts with Donatists and Manicheans.