Rome in the Dark Ages

After the removal of the last Western emperor from the Imperial throne in 476, Rome was catapulted into 500 years of war & confusion, a period characterized by repeated barbarian invasions, by political turmoil & doctrinal struggles between East & West, by the emergence of secular power beyond the Alps & by great changes in the role of the papacy. The author's analysis of the influences at work in Rome during this period includes the latest scholarly research on this obscure period. He draws on both contemporary chronicles & letters & modern sources to trace the ebb & flow of Roman history from the comparative peace of the Ostrogoth King Theodoric's rule in the 5th century to the coronation of the Saxon King Otto as emperor in the 10th century, which ushered in a new era in Christian Europe. He presents a graphic picture of the devastation of Rome at the hands of successive waves of marauders.Rome and the Ostrogoths The Gothic Wars The Rome of Gregory the GreatThe Roman church and clergy Rome and the Byzantine EmpireRome of the pilgrims Rome and the LombardsRome and the Franks Rome and the Carolingian EmpireRome and the Dynasts