Imperial Tragedy (eBook)

Demonstrates impressive mastery of a vast and complex field

A tour de force history of the inner workings of the late Roman Empire. Kulikowski tells a vivid, compelling story of the humans who fought to control the machinery of the empire until the entire system could no longer hold.

Michael Kulikowski tells the story of the Roman Empire from the fourth to the sixth century. He writes boldly and fluently about imperial politics, incorporating the latest scholarship yet avoiding getting bogged down in academic controversies. Highly recommended as an introduction to the political history of this period.

Insightful, coherent and articulate.

A genuinely bracing and innovative history of Rome for a general audience.

A fascinating account showing just what it was like to be a Roman emperor - the endless court politics, the shock of outside events, the need to bring in reforms, and, above all, the constant struggle to stay alive and keep your place on the throne.

A breezy and animated, yet authorative look at this remarkable time ... sure to be of interest to anybody with a taste in character-driven history.

Kulikowski's lively and engaging account brings clarity to the murky world of the late Roman Empire. It lets us understand the endless in-fighting between imperial hopefuls, the profound reforms of Diocletian, and the social transformation that expressed itself in Christianity. It explains the many forces which led to the western empire's disintegration and expertly guides us through a post-Roman world which was eventually to give rise to modern Europe.

This was an era of great change, and Mr. Kulikowski is an excellent and insightful guide to the process