The inheritance of Rome : a history of Europe from 400 to 1000
Chris Wickham
idea that with the decline of Roman Empire Europe entered into some immense 'dark age' has long been viewed as inadequate by many historians. How could a world still so profoundly shaped and which encompassed such remarkable societies Byzantine, Carolingian Ottonian empires, be anything other than central to development European history? peoples, whether expanding, moving or stable, Goths, Franks, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, whose genetic linguistic inheritors we all are, not lie at heart how understand ourselves? The Inheritance Rome is work scope ambition. Drawing on wealth new material, it book will transform its readers' ideas about crucible in would end created. From collapse imperial system establishment dynastic states, perhaps this book's most striking achievement make sense an immensely period time, experienced generations Europeans, which, while certainly included catastrophic invasions turbulence, also contained periods continuity achievement. Ireland Constantinople, from Baltic Mediterranean, genuinely Europe-wide history kind, something surprising arresting every page.