The End of Antiquity by Jeremy K Knight
This masterly study provides a fresh analysis of the transition from the classical world to medieval Europe - a theme that has exercised historians since Edward Gibbon. It is the first book to make available in English much of the new data from recent excavations in France, Spain and elsewhere in western Europe. Drawing on material from Ireland to the eastern Mediterranean, the author uses new evidence from coins and inscriptions and provides re-assessments of the rich literary sources. The author sees the economic and military problems of the third century more as a 'mid-life crisis' than as 'decline and fall'. The nature of the empire changed. With the loss of the western provinces in the early fifth century, the social structures of the Christian church replaced those of the emperors, first in the cities and then in the countryside - a transition that is reflected in architecture, townscape, literary sources and archaeology. The process of change is completed by bishops and landowners building rural churches to serve villa estates and small towns, which was to lead ultimately to the medieval parish. This long-overdue survey places, for the first time, the archaeology of later Roman and early medieval Britain firmly in its wider European context.
'A magnificent new book' -- Current Archaeology 'Clear exposition of the considerable amount of archaeology that has recently been done in the area for this period' -- British Archaeology 'For this well written, well illustrated and scholarly book, he has placed all students of Late Antiquity in his debt' - Antiquaries Journal 'A book of prodigious learning.' -- Britannia 'A masterly synthesis' -- Minerva
JEREMY KNIGHT was born and brought up in the Roman legionary fortress of Caerleon on the borders of Wales. He worked as an Inspector of Ancient Monuments in both what is now English Heritage and Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments). He is the author of some eighty articles in academic journals, excavation reports, guidebooks and contributions to multi-author volumes and has travelled widely in Europe.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780752440828 |
| ISBN 10 | 0752440829 |
| Title | The End of Antiquity |
| Author | Jeremy K Knight |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | The History Press Ltd |
| Year published | 2007-01-10 |
| Number of pages | 224 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |