Recommend for me a Roman history book

[JimmyJimJam]

Hope it's ok to ask this here.

I'm looking for a history book which is readable but still academic that details the last two hundred years or so of the Roman Empire. It should be relatively recently written, and not a purely social history, purely military etc. but should have a relatively broad focus.

It should not be grounded in modern day politics in any fashion, and should not cost upwards of a hundred dollars on Amazon.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

for completeness, its hard to argue with all 6 volumes of Gibbon, even if it was written over 200 years ago, and is a HUGE undertaking to read.

That said, don't STOp there either.

Every generation seems to relate the fall to its own time.

Gibbon blamed Christianity
the Victorians blamed debauchery
the mid 20th century blamed political and military overstretch.
there are modern scholars who suggest climate change.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

for completeness, its hard to argue with all 6 volumes of Gibbon, even if it was written over 200 years ago, and is a HUGE undertaking to read.

 

[mudhead]

Adrian Goldsworthy: The Fall of the West: The Death of the Roman Superpower (Weidenfield & Nicholson 2009, pb Phoenix 2010; ISBN 978-0-7538-2692-8).

Covers the third to sixth centuries AD: generalist history, seems to be on the lines of what you need.

 

[Flying Sorcerer]

Adrian Goldsworthy: The Fall of the West: The Death of the Roman Superpower (Weidenfield & Nicholson 2009, pb Phoenix 2010; ISBN 978-0-7538-2692-8).

Covers the third to sixth centuries AD: generalist history, seems to be on the lines of what you need.

I'm reading that right now - really outstanding. If you're particularly interested in the decline of the western empire you might also check out The Fall of the Roman Empire by Michael Grant which sets out in summary form the various causes of decline theories.

 

[mailinutile2]

for completeness, its hard to argue with all 6 volumes of Gibbon, even if it was written over 200 years ago, and is a HUGE undertaking to read.

That said, don't STOp there either.

Every generation seems to relate the fall to its own time.

Gibbon blamed Christianity
the Victorians blamed debauchery
the mid 20th century blamed political and military overstretch.
there are modern scholars who suggest climate change.

Gibbon's work is not about the Roman Empire: It is about the 1700 way people looked at the past.
If you want to look at the history of Rome read their own historians: there will be of course deformations and propaganda, but they will be the same that the people at that time were subjected to, rather than deformations and propaganda that people 1400 years later were subjected to.
I suggest Livius for early Rome, Ammianus Marcellinus, Procopius and Zosimus for later Rome/Byzanthine empire.
If you want to have a peek "behind the curtains", read Procopius "Secret history" (he wrote it, to be published after his death)

 

[Just Leo]

The History of Roman Civilization and of Christianity from beginnings to 325 AD, by Will Durant. A page turner.

 

[aktarian]

I liked Peter Heather's books (The Fall of the Roman Empire; Empires and Barbariansand The Goths). Though it seems he found a favourite theme and ran with it, squeezing as many books from it as he can. The idea is that once Roman borders in Europe stabilised flow of goods and money (and Roman diplomacy) caused various tribes on the other side of border to evolve in larger tribal groups who became bigger, more organised, stronger and more expansionist. In turn they were able to start mounting attacks in roman terrirtory.

Obviously this deals with later Roman period.

 

[elkarlo]

for completeness, its hard to argue with all 6 volumes of Gibbon, even if it was written over 200 years ago, and is a HUGE undertaking to read.

That said, don't STOp there either.

Every generation seems to relate the fall to its own time.

Gibbon blamed Christianity
the Victorians blamed debauchery
the mid 20th century blamed political and military overstretch.
there are modern scholars who suggest climate change.

Thought the decent modern scholars were blaming the lack of stability in the govt. Which became pretty blatant by the 3rd cent.

 

[aktarian]

Of course those who blame Christianity for fall of WRE conveniantly ignore the fact that just as christian ERE lasted several centuries more.