Bücher veröffentlicht von Fontana Press

The story of how Europe was converted to Christianity from 300AD until the barbarian Lithuanians finally capitulated at the astonishingly late date of 1386. It is an epic tale from one of the most gifted historians of today. This remarkable book examines the conversion of Europe to the Christian faith in the period following the collapse of the Roman Empire, to approximately 1300 when the hegemony of the Holy Roman Empire was firmly established. Like Alan Bullock and Simon Schama, Fletcher is a historian with the true gift of a storyteller and a wide general readership ahead of him. Fletcher's previous book, The Quest for El Cid, won both the Wolfson History Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Award for History. This book is even better ? the most impressive achievement so far of this strikingly gifted historian.

A comprehensive study which introduces the reader to the vigour and variety of the fourth century AD. After being beset by invasion, civil war and internal difficulties for a century, the Roman Empire that Diocletian inherited in AD 284 desperately needed the organizational drive he brought to the task of putting its administration and defences on a newly secure footing. His successor, Constantine, sustained this consolidation of imperial strength by adopting a vibrant new religion, Christianity. The fourth century AD was a decisive period; its many new challenges and wide cultural diversity are reflected in the pages of its chief historian, Ammianus Marcellinus, and represented by figures as different as Julian the Apostate and St Augustine. Not only providing a vivid narrative of events, this book also draws on archaeological and artistic evidence to illuminate such central issues as economy, social structure, defence, religion and culture. 'The Later Roman Empire' is indispensable to students, and a compelling guide for anyone interested in the cultural development of late antiquity, or in the structure, evolution and fate of empires more generally.

A new cover reprint of the second volume of T. C. Smout's magnificent ? and indispensable ? account of the Scottish people, from 1830?1950. 'Professor Smout's ?History of the Scottish People 1560?1830? was hailed as a classic piece of social history. If you had time to read only one book on Scotland, this was it...Unfortunately, you now have to read two...?A Century of the Scottish People? is as satisfying and enlightening as its predecessor.' John Kenyon, Observer 'An admirable example of how academic history may yet be written for the general reader. It is deeply enjoyable, lively, packed with interesting detail, illuminating anecdote and pithy observation.' Allan Massie, The Times