Although there are other books on the Roman Empire from the death of Jovian to the ouster of Romulus “Augustulus” (although Julius Nepos was the last de jure emperor), I know of no other book that has such a catholic (small ‘c’) view of the period. Kulikowski begins the story with an overview of the Rome of Constantine I and his successors who ruled a notionally united empire. In these pages, he introduces themes that continue to operate after the split of Rome between Valentinian I in the West, and Valens in the East: the devolution of the Western empire; relationships with other Eastern polities, “barbarian” tribes, and successor kingdoms everywhere; the waning of financial support in the West compared with the wealthy East; and, of necessity, the dismal tale of the Christian Church and its endless infighting about the nature of God and Jesus (anyone who has read Edward Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is more than aware of the blasphemous and murderous history of fanatic divines purporting to know the mind of God).
Kulikowski’s stunning achievement of weaving all these themes is bracing and salutary. He gives the most cogent account of early Christianity’s take on the nature of God I have ever read. So too with the bewildering number of “barbarian” hordes facing the Roman West and East: his treatment of the Hunnic incursions alone is a model of concision. Other reviewers have complained about the number of names that appear in the book but I wonder how else readers can make any sense of this or most any other history. Moreover, Kulikowski lets us know when evidence is lacking and keeps his speculations to a minimum. When he does speculate, he has enough bits of evidence to make a suggestion, not a conclusion. This aspect, to me, is brilliant. In fact, the entire book is brilliant.
Considering the abundance of books on the Roman Empire from Augustus to, say, Severus Alexander, and the paucity of books covering the heirs of Constantine I, Kulikowski’s book is indeed essential. The Roman imperium in the West didn’t fall, it evaporated.
The author provides guidance for further reading, an index, and bibliographic essays on the topic.
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Top reviews from other countries
Sigmund Roseth
Overwrought and verbose with unnecessary details in the extreme. Waste of time.
Reviewed in Canada on August 9, 2021