By the end of the fifth century, with the structural collapse of the Roman Empire in the west, Western Europe had fallen into the so-called Dark Ages. With the power of Rome removed, the Catholic Church stepped in to fill the void. Its political rise, alongside that of the Germanic kingdoms, led to dramatic changes in law, politics, power, and culture. Against the backdrop of that upheaval, the family became a vitally important area of focus for cultural struggles related to morality, law, and tradition. This book explores those battles in order to demonstrate, through the family, the intersections between Roman and Christian legal culture, thought, and political power.

About the Author
Dr Emma Southon lives in Belfast and is a freelance writer and editor.

Reviews
"This is, in many respects, a very useful book. The family of the late Roman world is a well-researched topic, but there are few monograph-length studies that focus on the immediate post-Roman world. ... On academic reading lists the book should therefore have pride of place next to earlier key studies, such as Geoffrey Nathan's more Rome-focussed The Family in Late Antiquity, for complementation and comparison." - Julia Hillner, Plekos 22, 2020



Book Information
ISBN 9789462980358
Author Emma Southon
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Amsterdam University Press
Publisher Amsterdam University Press