Synopses & Reviews
The dream Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar shared of uniting Europe, the Medi-terranean, and the Middle East in a single community shuddered and then collapsed in the wars and disasters of the sixth century. Historian and classicist James J. O'Donnell—who last brought readers his masterful, disturbing, and revelatory biography of Saint Augustine—revisits this old story in a fresh way, bringing home its sometimes painful relevance to today's issues.
With unexpected detail and in his hauntingly vivid style, O'Donnell begins at a time of apparent Roman revival and brings readers to the moment of imminent collapse that just preceded the rise of Islam. Illegal migrations of peoples, religious wars, global pandemics, and the temptations of empire: Rome's end foreshadows today's crises and offers hints how to navigate them—if present leaders will heed this story.
Review
“A vigorous history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“An exotic and instructive tale, told with life, learning and just the right measure of laughter on every page. ODonnell combines a historians mastery of substance with a born storytellers sense of style to create a magnificent work of art. Perfect for history-lovers and admirers of great writing alike.” Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State
Review
“ODonnells richly layered book provides significant glimpses into the many factors that leveled a mighty empire.” Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The Ruin of the Roman Empire by James J. O'Donnell is a "vigorous" (
Kirkus Reviews) and "richly layered" (
Publishers Weekly) history of Rome's fall. Renowned historian and author of
Augustine, O'Donnell revisits this ancient tale in a fresh way, bringing home its sometimes painful relevance to today's political issues.
Synopsis
- Feature in HarperCollins History Catalog
- Group ad in The American Historical Review
--Tom Holland, author of Rubicon
Synopsis
The dream Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar shared of uniting Europe, the Medi-terranean, and the Middle East in a single community shuddered and then collapsed in the wars and disasters of the sixth century. Historian and classicist James J. O'Donnell—who last brought readers his masterful, disturbing, and revelatory biography of Saint Augustine—revisits this old story in a fresh way, bringing home its sometimes painful relevance to today's issues.
With unexpected detail and in his hauntingly vivid style, O'Donnell begins at a time of apparent Roman revival and brings readers to the moment of imminent collapse that just preceded the rise of Islam. Illegal migrations of peoples, religious wars, global pandemics, and the temptations of empire: Rome's end foreshadows today's crises and offers hints how to navigate them—if present leaders will heed this story.
Synopsis
The Ruin of the Roman Empire by James J. ODonnell is a “vigorous” (Kirkus Reviews) and “richly layered” (Publishers Weekly) history of Romes fall. Renowned historian and author of Augustine, ODonnell revisits this ancient tale in a fresh way, bringing home its sometimes painful relevance to todays political issues.
About the Author
James J. O'donnell is a classicist who served for ten years as Provost of Georgetown University and is now University Librarian at Arizona State University. He is the author of several books including Augustine, The Ruin of the Roman Empire, and Avatars of the Word. He is the former president of the American Philological Association, a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, and the chair of the Board of Directors of the American Council of Learned Societies. He is seen here at an ancient monastery on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire, in Syria.