how Rome fell
| In AD 200, the Roman Empire seemed unassailable. Its vast territory accounted for most of the known world. By the end of the fifth century, Roman rule had vanished in western Europe and much of northern Africa, and only a shrunken Eastern Empire remained. What accounts for this improbable decline? Here, Adrian Goldsworthy applies the scholarship, perspective, and narrative skill that defined his monumental Caesar to address perhaps the greatest of all historical questions—how Rome fell.It was a period of remarkable personalities, from the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius to emperors like Diocletian, who portrayed themselves as tough, even brutal, soldiers. It was a time of revolutionary ideas, especially in religion, as Christianity went from persecuted sect to the religion of state and emperors. Goldsworthy pays particular attention to the willingness of Roman soldiers to fight and kill each other. Ultimately, this is the story of how an empire without a serious rival rotted from within, its rulers and institutions putting short-term ambition and personal survival over the wider good of the state.How Rome Fell is a brilliant successor to Goldsworthy's "monumental" (The Atlantic) Caesar. (20090607) | |||
Table of contents : Contents......Page 6 List of Maps......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Introduction - The Big Question......Page 22 PART ONE - Crisis? The Third Century......Page 38 1 The Kingdom of Gold......Page 40 2 The Secret of Empire......Page 64 3 Imperial Women......Page 81 4 King of Kings......Page 97 5 Barbarians......Page 114 6 The Queen and the ‘Necessary’ Emperor......Page 134 7 Crisis......Page 149 PART TWO - Recovery? The Fourth Century......Page 166 8 The Four - Diocletian and the Tetrarchy......Page 168 9 The Christian......Page 185 10 Rivals......Page 205 11 Enemies......Page 216 12 The Pagan......Page 234 13 Goths......Page 256 14 East and West......Page 275 PART THREE - Fall? The Fifth and Sixth Centuries......Page 294 15 Barbarians and Romans: Generals and Rebels......Page 296 16 The Sister and the Eternal City......Page 310 17 The Hun......Page 325 18 Sunset on an Outpost of Empire......Page 346 19 Emperors, Kings and Warlords......Page 364 20 West and East......Page 381 21 Rise and Fall......Page 399 Conclusion - A Simple Answer......Page 416 Epilogue - An Even Simpler Moral......Page 427 Chronology......Page 436 C......Page 452 D......Page 454 L......Page 455 M......Page 456 P......Page 457 S......Page 458 Z......Page 459 Bibliography......Page 460 Notes......Page 478 A......Page 522 B......Page 524 C......Page 525 E......Page 528 F......Page 529 G......Page 530 H......Page 531 L......Page 532 M......Page 533 O......Page 534 P......Page 535 R......Page 536 S......Page 538 T......Page 540 V......Page 541 Z......Page 542 Plates......Page 543 |
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