Contents
List of Illustrationsxi
List of Mapsxiii
List of Diagramsxiv
List of Abbreviationsxv
Preface to the First Editionxviii
Preface to the Second Editionxx
Preface to the Third Editionxxii
1 An Introduction to Late Roman History 1
The Later Roman Empire, Late Antiquity, and the Contemporary World 4
The Third Century 11
Change and Development 13
2 The Nature of the Evidence 18
The Problem of Christian Sources 19
Hagiography 20
Chronicles 21
Eastern Sources 22
Panegyrics 23
The Secular Historians 26
The Church Historians 37
The Legal and Administrative Sources 39
Letter Collections 43
Inscriptions and Papyri 43
The Material World 45
3 The Roman Empire from Diocletian to Alaric 57
Prelude 57
A Military Monarchy 284-395: Overview 61
The Age of Diocletian and Constantine 64
The Emergence of Constantine 70
The Successors of Constantine 78
Julian 81
Valentinian and Valens 86
A Changing World 88
Theodosius I 91
Stilicho and Alaric 95
The Goths in Constantinople 100
4 The Roman Empire of the Fifth and Sixth Centuries 108
Preface 109
The Reign of Theodosius II 111
The Western Empire and the Barbarians, 411-55 116
Marcian and Leo 120
The Fall of the Western Empire 122
Zeno and Odoacar 124
Anastasius 126
The War with Persia 129
Justin 130
Justinian: The Years of Ambition 131
War on the Eastern Front 137
The Nika Riot 139
The Reconquest of the West: Africa 145
The Invasion of Italy 147
5 The Roman State 160
The Anatomy of the Empire 160
Propaganda and Ideology 161
Military Security 170
Taxes and the Army 174
Ruling the Empire 178
Social and Cultural Transformations 185
6 The Barbarian Kingdoms 198
The Origins of the Germanic Kingdoms of the West 198
The Huns 204
The Germanic Kingdoms of Western Europe in the Fifth Century 209
The Visigoths 210
The Burgundians 214
The Franks 216
Ostrogothic Italy 220
7 From Pagan to Christian 232
Approaching Religious Transformations in Late Antiquity 232
Religious Pluralism in Late Antiquity 236
Christian Diversity 240
Christianity and the State: Outlawry and Tolerance 245
8 Conversion to Christianity and the Politics of Religious Identity 265
Three Conversions and Their Consequences 265
Constantine 266
Julian 273
Augustine 277
Politics and Christianity 280
Monks and Holy Men 285
Religious Identities 287
The "Arian" Dispute 292
The Council of Chalcedon and the Emergence of Miaphysitism 299
9 The Political Economy of the Later Roman Empire 313
The Economic Structure of the Later Empire 313
The Monetary System and Taxation 317
Rome 319
Constantinople 324
Alexandria 330
Carthage 333
Antioch 334
10 Society and Economy in the Mediterranean and the Near East 343
The Eastern Empire 344
The Near East 344
Asia Minor 350
The Eastern Frontier Zones 356
Egypt 360
The Western Empire 365
Africa 365
Gaul 369
Italy 376
The Danube Region and the Balkans 378
Conclusions 382
11 The Challenges of the Later Sixth Century 392
The Bubonic Plague and Other Natural Catastrophes 393
Setbacks and Recovery in the Mid-Sixth Century 399
The Challenge of the Sasanians 408
The Renewal of Hostilities Between Rome and Persia 411
12 The Last Great War of Antiquity 426
The Northern Barbarians in the Sixth Century: Avars, Slavs, and Lombards 427
The Fall of Maurice 431
The Final Showdown with Persia 433
Religious Transformations 439
13 Arabia, Islam, and the Eclipse of the Old Order 446
The Arabian Peninsula in Late Antiquity 447
Apocalyptic Expectations 452
The Coming of Islam 454
Muhammad's Teaching and Followers 456
The First Arab Conquests 458
The Fall of an Empire 461
Why Did the Arabs Prevail? 462
14 The Survival of the Eastern Empire 470
The Roman Reaction 471
The Year of Four Emperors 471
Politics and Theology 473
The Reign of Constans II: Stabilizing the Empire (641-55) 474
Changes in the Roman Army 477
The New Masters and the Conquered Lands 478
The Roman Empire on the Defensive 482
Withdrawal to the West 482
The Stabilization of the Eastern Frontier 484
Conclusion: The Dawn of a New Age? 489
The Evolution of the Roman State 491
15 The Fall of the Roman Empire 499
One or Two Empires? 500
Taxation and Diminishing State Revenue 503
The Loss of Military Capacity 507
Environmental Change in Late Antiquity 511
Demographic Regression and Plague in Late Antiquity 513
The Afterlife of Ancient Rome 525
Bibliography 532
Chronological List of Emperors and Other Rulers 557
Index 559
