The Roman Empire in Transition and Crisis

An Alternative History AD 651-950

Timothy Venning

• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Year: 2025
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036103675
• Subtopic: Byzantine History
• Index: History

Explores the rise and fall of Roman emperors, their struggles, family politics, and global influence. This is not a success story but one of transition and ultimate fall. It is detailed, hugely researched, full of action, peronality, and a vivid narrative of political struggle for imperial power as Roman Emperor. It is especially impresive on the role of women, the tangled personal lives, of the elite family competition. And all against the backdrop of transition and decline. But struggle and competition take the Roman Empire and its agents, military and civil, to action on a global scale, to extreme northern Europe, Europe, the Balkaons, Near and Middle East, South and East Asia, Africa and even fringes of (later) America. And all to defend or extend imperial interest. But defense against declne is always presnent and a consant plea is for 'Something to be done' to keep the show on the road. The actual history is set out in brief with the time lines, original Original Time Lines (OTL). Here is the changing and struggling Empire with Western and Eastern Empires and emperors and popes, and Catholic and Orthordox churches, and with theology, philosophy and culture emerging from a Classical world. The list of emperors and empresses runs from AD 496-950 - from mid-empire to imperial evening and fall.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Book Title
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction The Story So Far…
• Chapter 1 Aftermath of the Conquest of Eastern Persia: New Dynasty, New Challenges
• Chapter 2 Diomedes: the Hellenophile. Constantine IV: the Cautious Front-Man.
• Chapter 3 Caracalla 680–709: The Showman.
• Chapter 4 Michael I: Saint or Heretic? Basil I: the Prudent Military Officer.
• Chapter 5 New Dynasty (Nearonius Family). Leo IV: The Magnificent.
• Chapter 6 Probus II 750–765: The Military Hero.
• Chapter 7 Probianus: The Would-Be Monk. Justinian I: Ambitious For Glory
• Chapter 8 Rillanus II: An Unworthy Heir? Justin : The Military Martinet. War in the North.
• Chapter 9 Constantine V: Not Up To The Challenges? Irene: Too Controversial or a Victim of the Elite?
• Chapter 10 Basilicus: The Restorer.
• Chapter 11 Zeno II: The Hellenist Revival.
• Chapter 12 Probianus II and Aurelianus II. The Sons of Zeno. Zeno II, restored.
• Chapter 13 Honorius II and Leo V, Evening of a Dynasty.
• Chapter 14 Constantine VI. Finale of a Dynasty.
• Back Cover