The Roman Empire in Late Antiquity
A Political and Military History

The Roman Emperor ran the Empire through contentious committee meetings at which civil, military and religious policies were debated.

Hugh Elton (Author)

9781108456319, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 22 November 2018

398 pages, 23 b/w illus. 11 maps
22.8 x 15.3 x 1.6 cm, 0.64 kg

“The Roman Empire in Late Antiquity, A Political and Military History is a lavishly detailed and very useful book, particularly in terms of its chronological narrative. It also has a useful glossary for the basic technical terms related to Roman institutions.” --Bryn Mawr Classical Review

In this volume, Hugh Elton offers a detailed and up to date history of the last centuries of the Roman Empire. Beginning with the crisis of the third century, he covers the rise of Christianity, the key Church Councils, the fall of the West to the Barbarians, the Justinianic reconquest, and concludes with the twin wars against Persians and Arabs in the seventh century AD. Elton isolates two major themes that emerge in this period. He notes that a new form of decision-making was created, whereby committees debated civil, military, and religious matters before the emperor, who was the final arbiter. Elton also highlights the evolution of the relationship between aristocrats and the Empire, and provides new insights into the mechanics of administering the Empire, as well as frontier and military policies. Supported by primary documents and anecdotes, The Roman Empire in Late Antiquity is designed for use in undergraduate courses on late antiquity and early medieval history.

Introduction
1. The late-third century, 260–312
2. The early-fourth century, 312–363
3. The military situation, 260–395
4. The late-fourth century, 363–395
5. The early-fifth century, 395–455
6. The late-fifth century, 455–493
7. The military situation, 395–493
8. The early-sixth century, 491–565
9. The late-sixth century, 565–610
10. The military situation, 491–610
11. The reign of Heraclius, 610–641
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Military history [HBW], Social & cultural history [HBTB], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]