The inheritance of Rome : a history of Europe from 400 to 1000

The idea that with the decline of the Roman Empire Europe entered into some immense "dark age" has long been viewed as misleading by many historians. How could a world still so profoundly shaped by Rome and which encompassed such remarkable societies as the Byzantine, Carolingian and Ottoman empires be anything other than central to the development of Europe? In "The Inheritance of Rome", prizewinning historian Chris Wickham defies the conventional view of European history between A.D. 400 and 1000 with a work of remarkable scope and rigorous yet accessible scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of new material and featuring a thoughtful synthesis of historical and archaeological approaches, Wickham argues that these centuries were critical in the formulation of European identity. Far from being a "middle" period between more significant epochs, this age has much to tell us in its own right about the progress of culture and the development of political thought. Sweeping in its breadth, Wickham’s incisive history focuses on a world still profoundly shaped by Rome, which included peoples ranging from the Goths, Franks and Vandals to Arabs, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. Digging deep into each culture, Wickham constructs a vivid portrait of a vast and varied world stretching from Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean. "The Inheritance of Rome" brilliantly presents a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. List of Maps ix List of Illustrations x Acknowledgements xii 1. Introduction 3 PART I The Roman Empire and its Break-up, 400-550 2. The Weight of Empire 21 3. Culture and Belief in the Christian Roman World 50 4. Crisis and Continuity, 400-550 76 PART II The Post-Roman West, 550-750 5. Merovingian Gaul and Germany, 500-751 111 6. The West Mediterranean Kingdoms: Spain and Italy, 550-750 130 7. Kings without States: Britain and Ireland, 400-800 150 8. Post-Roman Attitudes: Culture, Belief and Political Etiquette, 550-750 170 9. Wealth, Exchange and Peasant Society 203 10. The Power of the Visual: Material Culture and Display from Imperial Rome to the Carolingians 232 PART III The Empires of the East, 550-1000 11. Byzantine Survival, 550-850 255 12. The Crystallization of Arab Political Power, 630-750 279 13. Byzantine Revival, 850-1000 298 14. From 'Abbasid Baghdad to Umayyad Córdoba, 750-1000 318 15. The State and the Economy: Eastern Mediterranean Exchange Networks, 600-1000 348 PART IV The Carolingian and Post-Carolingian West, 750-1000 16. The Carolingian Century, 751-887 375 17. Intellectuals and Politics 405 18. The Tenth-century Successor States 427 19. 'Carolingian' England, 800-1000 453 20. Outer Europe 472 21. Aristocrats between the Carolingian and the 'Feudal' Worlds 508 22. The Caging of the Peasantry, 800-1000 529 23. Conclusion: Trends in European History, 400-1000 552 Notes and Bibliographic Guides 565 Index of Names and Places 623 An ambitious and enlightening look at why the so-called Dark Ages were anything but that. Prizewinning historian Chris Wickham defies the conventional view of the Dark Ages in European history with a work of remarkable scope and rigorous yet accessible scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of new material and featuring a thoughtful synthesis of historical and archaeological approaches, Wickham argues that these centuries were critical in the formulation of European identity. Far from being a middle period between more significant epochs, this age has much to tell us in its own right about the progress of culture and the development of political thought. Sweeping in its breadth, Wickham's incisive history focuses on a world still profoundly shaped by Rome, which encompassed the remarkable Byzantine, Carolingian, and Ottonian empires, and peoples ranging from Goths, Franks, and Vandals to Arabs, Anglo- Saxons, and Vikings. Digging deep into each culture, Wickham constructs a vivid portrait of a vast and varied world stretching from Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean. The Inheritance of Rome brilliantly presents a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. 'The breath of reading is astounding, the knowledge displayed is awe-inspiring and the attention quietly given to critical theory and the postmodern questioning of evidence is both careful and sincere.'--The Daily Telegraph (UK)'A superlative work of historical scholarship.'--Literary Review (UK)A unique and enlightening look at Europe's so-called Dark Ages; the second volume in the Penguin History of Europe Defying the conventional Dark Ages view of European history between A.D. 400 and 1000, award-winning historian Chris Wickham presents The Inheritance of Rome, a work of remarkable scope and rigorous yet accessible scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of new material and featuring a thoughtful synthesis of historical and archaeological approaches, Wickham agues that these centuries were critical in the formulation of European identity. From Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean, the narrative constructs a vivid portrait of the vast and varied world of Goths, Franks, Vandals, Arabs, Saxons, and Vikings. Groundbreaking and full of fascinating revelations, The Inheritance of Rome offers a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created. Prizewinning historian Chris Wickham defies the conventional view of the Dark Ages in European history with a work of remarkable scope and rigorous yet accessible scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of new material and featuring a thoughtful synthesis of historical and archaeological approaches, Wickham argues that these centuries were critical in the formulation of European identity. Far from being a middle period between more significant epochs, this age has much to tell us in its own right about the progress of culture and the development of political thought. Sweeping in its breadth, Wickhamas incisive history focuses on a world still profoundly shaped by Rome, which encompassed the remarkable Byzantine, Carolingian, and Ottonian empires, and peoples ranging from Goths, Franks, and Vandals to Arabs, Anglo- Saxons, and Vikings. Digging deep into each culture, Wickham constructs a vivid portrait of a vast and varied world stretching from Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean. The Inheritance of Rome brilliantly presents a fresh understanding of the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created Historian Chris Wickham defies conventional views of the "Dark Ages" in European history with a work of rigorous yet accessible scholarship. Drawing on a wealth of new material and featuring a thoughtful synthesis of historical and archaeological approaches, Wickham argues that these centuries were critical in the formulation of European identity. Far from being a "middle" period between more significant epochs, this age has much to tell us in its own right about the progress of culture and the development of political thought. Wickham focuses on a world still profoundly shaped by Rome, which encompassed peoples ranging from Goths, Franks, and Vandals to Arabs, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings. Digging deep into each culture, Wickham constructs a vivid portrait of a vast and varied world stretching from Ireland to Constantinople, the Baltic to the Mediterranean--the crucible in which Europe would ultimately be created.--From publisher description