How Rome Fell: Death of a SuperpowerIn 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. |
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Contents
| 1 | |
| 11 | |
| 27 | |
PART TWORecovery? The Fourth Century | 155 |
PART THREEFall? The Fifth and Sixth Centuries | 283 |
ConclusionA Simple Answer | 405 |
EpilogueAn Even Simpler Moral | 416 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aetius Africa Alamanni Alaric Ammianus Marcellinus amongst Athaulf attack Attila Augustus Aurelian barbarian battle bishop Britain Caesar campaign Caracalla Christian Church civil claimed command Commodus conflict Constantine Constantinople Constantius II court Danube death defeated Diocletian east Eastern Elagabalus emperor enemy equestrian field fifth century fight fighting figures first force fourth century frontier Galerius Gallienus Gaul Gothic Goths groups Heather Honorius Hunnic Huns imperial influence Italy killed king kingdoms leaders Lenski limitanei major Marcus Aurelius massive Maximian military murdered Notitia Dignitatum Odaenathus officers officials ofthe pagan period Persians plunder population Potter powerfiil praetorian prefect probably proclaimed provinces raiding refiised region reign Rhine rival Roman army Roman Empire Rome Rome’s rule second century Senate senior Severus Shapur significant simply soldiers specific Stilicho success successfiil survived tetrarchy Theodosius third century threat tribes troops ulian units ustinian usurper Valens Valentinian Vandals victory warriors Western Empire Zosimus
Bibliographic information
| Title | How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower |
| Author | Adrian Keith Goldsworthy |
| Publisher | Yale University Press, 2009 |
| ISBN | 0300155603, 9780300155600 |
| Length | 558 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Ancient / Rome |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |