In late medieval culture, organized violence was conceptualized through the works of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, who shaped the understanding of war in political imagination. Augustine argued that war stems from humanity's inherent sinfulness and fallen condition. In a pre-lapsarian world, peace reigned; post-fall, war became the norm as humanity's self-interest led to violence. Aquinas later built upon Augustine’s thoughts, reflecting on just war theory and the moral implications of warfare, serving as foundational texts for medieval political thought regarding organized violence.
Augustine understood war as a consequence of humanity's fallen nature, viewing it as a more common state of affairs than peace, which he considered merely an interlude.
According to Augustine, war emerged from the sinful pursuit of domination and material goods by the denizens of the Earthly City, highlighting humanity's rebellion against God.
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