Chris Wickham Books
Chris Wickham is a British historian specializing in medieval Europe. He is Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College.
Known for: The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000
Books by Chris Wickham
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000
This book explores the transformation of Europe from the fall of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the Middle Ages. Wickham examines political, social, and economic changes across regions, showing how the legacy of Rome shaped medieval institutions and cultures. It provides a comprehensive and scholarly account of the period between 400 and 1000 CE.
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The End of the Roman Empire
The story begins with Rome’s apparent disintegration in the fifth century—a political collapse that concealed deeper continuities. In the western provinces, imperial control crumbled under the weight of fiscal exhaustion and military pressures. But contrary to romantic visions of catastrophe, life f...
From The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000
Post-Roman Successor Kingdoms
In the aftermath of imperial dissolution, Europe did not descend into chaos but instead gave rise to new forms of rule. The Visigoths in Spain, the Ostrogoths in Italy, and the Franks in Gaul did not seek simply to erase Rome’s legacy—they sought legitimacy through it. Kings styled themselves as hei...
From The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000
About Chris Wickham
Chris Wickham is a British historian specializing in medieval Europe. He is Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College. His research focuses on social and economic structures in early medieval Italy and Europe.
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Chris Wickham is a British historian specializing in medieval Europe. He is Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College.
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