Theodosius II: Rethinking the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity

Description

Theodosius II (AD 408-450) was the longest reigning Roman emperor. Ever since Edward Gibbon, he has been dismissed as mediocre and ineffectual. Yet Theodosius ruled an empire which retained its integrity while the West was broken up by barbarian invasions. This book explores Theodosius' challenges and successes. Ten essays by leading scholars of late antiquity provide important new insights into the court at Constantinople, the literary and cultural vitality of the reign, and the presentation of imperial piety and power. Much attention has been directed towards the changes promoted by Constantine at the beginning of the fourth century; much less to their crystallisation under Theodosius II. This volume explores the working out of new conceptions of the Roman Empire - its history, its rulers and its God. A substantial introduction offers a new framework for thinking afresh about the long transition from the classical world to Byzantium.

Christopher Kelly is Reader in Ancient History and Fellow and Director of Studies in Classics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His publications include Ruling the Later Roman Empire (2004), The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction (2006), The End of Empire: Attila the Hun and the Fall of Rome (2009).

'The reader of this volume is offered valuable insights into one of the crucial periods in the history of the Christian Church.' Fergus Millar, Journal of Ecclesiastical History