The Second Edition ofA History of the Later Roman Empirefeatures 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 EmpireIncludes extensive changes to the chapters on regional history, especially those relating to Asia Minor and EgyptOffers a renewed evaluation of the decline of the empire in the later sixth and seventh centuriesPlaces a larger emphasis on the military deficiencies, collapse of state finances, and role of bubonic plague throughout the Europe in Rome’s declineIncludes systematic updates to the bibliography

List of Illustrations viii

List of Maps x

List of Diagrams xi

List of Abbreviations xii

Preface to the First Edition xv

Preface to the Second Edition xviii

1 An Introduction to Late Roman History 1

2 The Nature of the Evidence 15

3 The Roman Empire from Diocletian to Alaric 51

4 The Roman Empire of the Fifth and Sixth Centuries 108

5 The Roman State 165

6 The Barbarian Kingdoms 206

7 From Pagan to Christian 242

8 Conversion to Christianity and the Politics of Religious Identity 277

9 The Political Economy of the Later Roman Empire 325

10 Society and Economy in the Mediterranean and the Near East 355

11 The Challenges of the Later Sixth Century 408

12 The Final Reckoning of the Eastern Empire 441

13 The Fall of the Roman Empire 466

Bibliography 497

Chronological List of Emperors and Other Rulers 522

Index 524