Honorius ― The Fight for the Roman West Ad 395-423

Honorius explores the personal life and tumultuous times of one of the last emperors of the Roman West. From his accession to the throne aged ten to his death at thirty- eight, Honorius’ reign was blighted by a myriad of crises: military rebellions, political conspiracies, barbarian invasions, and sectarian controversies. The notorious sack of the city of Rome occurred on Honorius’ watch, and much of the western empire was given over to anarchy and violence.

This book should interest undergraduates, research students, and professional scholars. Given the enduring appeal of the fall of Rome and the collapse of western Roman civilization, the wider public should also find much of interest.

Chris Doyle currently lectures in Ancient and Medieval History at the National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland. He is interested in the art and religion of the late antique period, and has published on stylistic developments in late Roman coinage. He is presently working on two books: a study of rebellion and dissent during the Christianization of the Roman world; and a biography based on his grandmother’s experiences as a frontline nurse with the British army in North Africa, Italy, and Greece during the Second World War.