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Imperial Tragedy

From Constantine’s Empire to the Destruction of Roman Italy AD 363-568
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( 181 ratings, 29 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Imperial Tragedy by Professor Michael Kulikowski delves into the tumultuous history of the Roman Empire during the fourth and fifth centuries. It examines the internal challenges and external pressures that led to its eventual collapse, focusing on the military, political, and cultural transformations of the period. The book provides a detailed analysis of the factors that contributed to the empire's decline, engaging readers with its intricate narrative of historical events.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the complexities of the Roman Empire's decline. It explores the intricate political, military, and cultural shifts that contributed to the empire's ultimate downfall. With insightful analysis and engaging narrative, it offers a fresh perspective on a pivotal period in ancient history.

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Two hundred years of Roman imperial politics and power brought to life in an action-packed narrative.

Two hundred years of Roman imperial politics and power brought to life in an action-packed narrative

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

For centuries, Rome was one of the world's largest imperial powers, its influence spread across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Its military force successfully fought off attacks by the Parthians, Germans, Persians, and Goths. Then came the definitive split, the Vandal sack of Rome, and the crumbling of the West from Empire into kingdoms first nominally under Imperial rule and then, one by one, beyond it.

Imperial Tragedy tells the story of Rome's gradual collapse. Full of palace intrigue, religious conflicts, and military history, as well as details of the shifts in social, religious, and political structures, Imperial Tragedy contests the idea that Rome fell due to external invasions. Instead, it focuses on how the choices and conditions of those living within the empire led to its fall.

For it was not a single catastrophic moment that broke the Empire but a creeping process; by the time people understood that Rome had fallen, the west of the Empire had long since broken the Imperial yoke.

Series: The Profile History of the Ancient World Series

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  • Imperial Tragedy
    For centuries, Rome was one of the world's largest imperial powers, its influence spread across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Its military force successfully fought off attacks by the Parthians, Germans, Persians, and Goths. Then came the definitive split, the Vandal sack of Rome, and the crumbling of the West from Empire into kingdoms first nominally under Imperial...
    Paperback
    $3999
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    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Origin of Empire
    In 264 BC, a Roman army was poised to cross from southern Italy into Sicily. They couldn’t know that this crossing would be Rome’s first step on its journey from local republic to vast and powerful empire. At the beginning of the three dramatic centuries that make up this book's narrative, Rome had no emperor and limited global influence; by...
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  • The Rise of Rome
    In the late Iron Age, Rome was a small collection of huts arranged over a few hills. By the third century BC, it had become a large and powerful city, with monumental temples, public buildings and grand houses. It had conquered the whole of Italy and was poised to establish an empire. But how did it accomplish this historic transformation?...
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  • Age of Conquests
    The ancient world that Alexander the Great transformed in his lifetime was transformed once more by his death. The imperial dynasties of his successors incorporated and reorganised the fallen Persian empire, creating a new land empire stretching from the shores of the Mediterranean to as far east as Bactria. In old Greece, a fragile balance of power was continually disturbed...
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Imperial Tragedy by Professor Michael Kulikowski is described as a gripping exploration of the Roman Empire's inner workings during its decline. Reviewers praise its vivid storytelling and comprehensive analysis of the late Roman period, highlighting court politics, reforms, and the empire's eventual self-destruction. Kulikowski combines historical insight with dramatic details, appealing to those interested in character-driven history and the broader implications of Rome's transformation.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781781256336

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Profile Books Ltd

Edition: Main

Illustration: 16 page colour plate section

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 340g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Michael Kulikowski is Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of History and Classics at Penn State University, where his research and writing ranges widely across ancient and early medieval history. He is a regular contributor to the London Review of Books. His books include Rome's Gothic Wars, described by Bryn Mawr Classical Review as 'exceptional' and by Military History Review as 'breezy and animated, yet authoritative', and Imperial Triumph (Profile, 2016).

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