Peter Heather, a well-known historian specializing in the history of late antiquity, in his book “The Restoration of Rome” takes readers on a fascinating journey through the period of the fall of the Roman Empire and a discussion of the changes that occurred in its areas in the Middle Ages. The author primarily focuses on the description of three attempts to resurrect (unsuccessfully) the Roman Empire. The book was published by REBIS publishing house.
The book has over 450 pages of content and describes subsequent historical figures who tried to rebuild the Roman Empire – Theodoric the Great, Justinian and Charlemagne. Each of these figures had ambitious plans that included the revival of Rome, but as the author himself points out, it was only the papacy and the Church that restored Rome’s position in the world.
Heather’s style combines in-depth historical analysis with accessible language, making the book both scientifically valuable and interesting to a wider audience. The author describes in detail how various forces – political, religious and social – influenced the process of shaping the new order. He pays particular attention to the role of the Church and old administrative structures that have survived in a changed form.
The author bases his conclusions and descriptions on reliable and numerous sources, which can be found at the end of the publication.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is the broad context the author gives to historical events. Heather does not limit herself only to describing the areas of ancient Rome – it also examines the influence of barbarian peoples, such as the Franks, Visigoths and Lombards, on the development of early medieval Europe. It also compares different regions, showing how the eastern and western parts of the former empire took completely different development paths.
Moving on to the edition – as always, one should appreciate the very nice graphic design of the REBIS books. The content has been enriched with colorful illustrations and illustrative maps, which perfectly complement the content. At the end of the book you will find a table of contents, footnotes and numerous book sources used.
To sum up, “The Restoration of Rome” is an excellent book for anyone who wants to understand better how the chaos after the empire’s fall gradually turned into a new order. Peter Heather proves that history does not end with disasters, but constantly evolves, revealing people’s extraordinary ability to rebuild and adapt. Moreover, after the fall of empires, new powers try to emerge and take advantage of the void. I recommend this book to both history lovers and those who want to explore the roots of modern Europe.
