A History of the Later Roman Empire, AD 284-641, 2nd Edition (Blackwell History of the Ancient World) - Softcover

Mitchell, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1118312422 ISBN 13: 9781118312421

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2014

Synopsis

The Second Edition of A History of the Later Roman Empire features extensive revisions and updates to the highly-acclaimed, sweeping historical survey of the Roman Empire from the accession of Diocletian in AD 284 to the death of Heraclius in 641. 

• Features a revised narrative of the political history that shaped the late Roman Empire
• Includes extensive changes to the chapters on regional history, especially those relating to Asia Minor and Egypt
• Offers a renewed evaluation of the decline of the empire in the later sixth and seventh centuries
• Places a larger emphasis on the military deficiencies, collapse of state finances, and role of bubonic plague throughout the Europe in Rome’s decline
• Includes systematic updates to the bibliography

About this title

About the Authors

Stephen Mitchell is Emeritus Professor of Ancient History at the University of Exeter and a  Fellow of the British Academy. He is also the author of Anatolia. Land, Men, and Gods in Asia Minor (1993), Cremna in Pisidia (1996), and Pisidian Antoch (1998).

Stephen Mitchell is Emeritus Professor of Ancient History at the University of Exeter and a  Fellow of the British Academy. He is also the author of Anatolia. Land, Men, and Gods in Asia Minor (1993), Cremna in Pisidia (1996), and Pisidian Antoch (1998).

From the Back Cover

The second edition of A History of the Later Roman Empire features many revisions and updates to the highly-acclaimed, sweeping historical survey of the struggles, triumphs and disasters of the Roman Empire during the period from the accession of the emperor Diocletian in AD 284 to the death of Heraclius in 641. Author Stephen Mitchell reveals the massive political and military transformations in Rome&;s western and eastern empires that led to its decline and gave way to the emergence of medieval and modern Europe and the Islamic world. 

Major episodes in Rome&;s social and political history are discussed in a series of narrative and thematic chapters, and include the Christian conversion of Constantine, the establishment of a Christian Empire in Constantinople and  Justinian&;s attempt in the 6th-century to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. Individual chapters address topics including the nature of the late Roman state, the emergence and character of the Western barbarian kingdoms, the epochal religious changes of late antiquity, and systematic discussions of Rome&;s economy and society. The concluding sections of the book, including an entirely new chapter, provide a detailed analysis of the complex reasons for Rome&;s decline and eventual fall,&;including the catastrophic world-wide outbreak of bubonic plague in 542, the failure of the state to maintain its tax revenues,  the 7th-century eclipse of Roman power after a final war with the rival Persian Empire of the Sassanians, and the emergent influence of Islam in the Arab world.

Grounded in the latest scholarship, the second edition of A History of the Later Roman Empire confirms its reputation as the best single-volume overview of the politics, institutions, and military affairs that shaped the decline of one of history&;s greatest empires.

From the Inside Flap

The second edition of A History of the Later Roman Empire features many revisions and updates to the highly-acclaimed, sweeping historical survey of the struggles, triumphs and disasters of the Roman Empire during the period from the accession of the emperor Diocletian in AD 284 to the death of Heraclius in 641. Author Stephen Mitchell reveals the massive political and military transformations in Rome’s western and eastern empires that led to its decline and gave way to the emergence of medieval and modern Europe and the Islamic world. 

Major episodes in Rome’s social and political history are discussed in a series of narrative and thematic chapters, and include the Christian conversion of Constantine, the establishment of a Christian Empire in Constantinople and  Justinian’s attempt in the 6th-century to restore the greatness of the Roman Empire. Individual chapters address topics including the nature of the late Roman state, the emergence and character of the Western barbarian kingdoms, the epochal religious changes of late antiquity, and systematic discussions of Rome’s economy and society. The concluding sections of the book, including an entirely new chapter, provide a detailed analysis of the complex reasons for Rome’s decline and eventual fall,—including the catastrophic world-wide outbreak of bubonic plague in 542, the failure of the state to maintain its tax revenues,  the 7th-century eclipse of Roman power after a final war with the rival Persian Empire of the Sassanians, and the emergent influence of Islam in the Arab world.

Grounded in the latest scholarship, the second edition of A History of the Later Roman Empire confirms its reputation as the best single-volume overview of the politics, institutions, and military affairs that shaped the decline of one of history’s greatest empires.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1118312422
• ISBN 13: 9781118312421
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 564