From Roman Provinces to Medieval Kingdoms

In 300 C.E. the Roman Empire stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia from theNorth Sea to the Sahara Desert. A mere three hundred years later the Romanimperial st... » 

In 300 C.E. the Roman Empire stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia from theNorth Sea to the Sahara Desert. A mere three hundred years later the Romanimperial structure was gone replaced by a series of barbarian kingdoms thatbecame the basis of Europes eventual medieval and modern states. In thisanthology Thomas F.X. Noble presents a collection of key articles written byleading scholars over the last twenty years that examine how and why thedominance of the Roman Empire ended and how new forms of government and societywere established.Since the Renaissance historians have tended to understand the events of theperiod in terms of a dramatic decline and fall of Rome. However theserevisionist essays provide an overview of how contemporary historians havefurthered the debate reassessing how abruptly the shift from Roman Empire tobarbarian Europe occurred and the origins and causes of the development of theMiddle Ages and the new order. Rome played a key role in guiding thistransformation and these essays also include a wealth of material on thecharacteristics and experiences of the barbarian tribes the relationships theyforged with the Romans and how far their new kingdoms were influenced by Rome.With an accessible and informative introduction and thorough editorialmaterial accompanying each section From Roman Provinces to MedievalKingdoms is highly readable and informative compilation of current work andrecent perspectives making complex debates accessible to students and exposingthem to the key debates surrounding the study of the era. «