In AD 200, the Roman Empire seemed unassailable, its vast territory accounting 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. In his account of the fall of the Roman Empire, prizewinning author Adrian Goldsworthy examines the painful centuries of the superpower's decline. Bringing history to life through the stories of the men, women, heroes, and villains involved, the author uncovers surprising lessons about the rise and fall of great nations.

This 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.

About the Author
Adrian Goldsworthy is a preeminent historian of the ancient world. His many acclaimed works include Caesar, a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the Society of Military History's Distinguished Book Award for Biography. Goldsworthy, who received his doctorate at Oxford, lectures widely and consults on historical documentaries produced by the History Channel, National Geographic, and the BBC.

Reviews

"Goldsworthy . . . claims the empire's fatal move was to make the centre of authority-Rome and its experienced senatorial government-irrelevant. . . . Goldsworthy's expertise guarantees his clearly and powerfully articulated thesis will open up the debate all over again."-Peter Jones, Telegraph

"Meticulously researched, complex and thought-provoking."-Diana Preston, The Washington Post Book World (Best of 2009 Review)

"Goldsworthy gives a vivid account. . . . [he] tells us clearly and well-and without attempts at literary majesty-about the series of events that brought Rome's western empire to a state of collapse."-Wall Street Journal

Selected as one of the Best Books of 2009 in the World History category, Diana Preston, Washington Post Book World

"Adrian Goldsworthy is one of the new generation of young classicists who combines scholarship with storytelling to bring the ancient world to life."-Simon Sebag Montefiore

Book Information
ISBN 9780300164268
Author Adrian Goldsworthy
Format Paperback
Page Count 560
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Weight(grams) 635g