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Fall of the Roman Empire Book #2
The Fall of Rome: End of a Superpower
WHY DID ROME FALL?
In this gripping retelling of one of the most momentous chapters in history, Nick Holmes presents a new interpretation of an old story. The fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers and barbarians but also by an environmental disaster.
A catastrophic megadrought on the Asian steppes in the fourth century AD forced the migration of entire peoples - Huns, Goths, Vandals and others - west into the Roman Empire. They met an empire weakened from war with Persia. Rome’s misfortunes multiplied as it made tactical errors on the battlefield. Civil war, religious unrest and political incompetence compounded a worsening situation. The result was one of the greatest disasters in the ancient world - the sack of Rome by the Goths in AD 410.
This is the second book in a multi-volume series on the Fall of the Roman Empire. The first book, The Roman Revolution , describes ‘the crisis of the third century’ and Rome’s adoption of Christianity. The third book, due out later in 2023, will continue with the fall of the western empire and the rise of Attila the Hun.
Praise for The Roman Revolution and other books by Nick Holmes
“An enlightening and lively interpretation of an important but neglected historical period.” Kirkus Reviews about The Roman Revolution .
“Clear, succinct and compelling…” AudioFile Magazine about The Byzantine World War.
“A thrilling blend of historical rigor and dramatic storytelling.” Kirkus Reviews about The Byzantine World War.
In this gripping retelling of one of the most momentous chapters in history, Nick Holmes presents a new interpretation of an old story. The fate of Rome was decided not just by emperors, soldiers and barbarians but also by an environmental disaster.
A catastrophic megadrought on the Asian steppes in the fourth century AD forced the migration of entire peoples - Huns, Goths, Vandals and others - west into the Roman Empire. They met an empire weakened from war with Persia. Rome’s misfortunes multiplied as it made tactical errors on the battlefield. Civil war, religious unrest and political incompetence compounded a worsening situation. The result was one of the greatest disasters in the ancient world - the sack of Rome by the Goths in AD 410.
This is the second book in a multi-volume series on the Fall of the Roman Empire. The first book, The Roman Revolution , describes ‘the crisis of the third century’ and Rome’s adoption of Christianity. The third book, due out later in 2023, will continue with the fall of the western empire and the rise of Attila the Hun.
Praise for The Roman Revolution and other books by Nick Holmes
“An enlightening and lively interpretation of an important but neglected historical period.” Kirkus Reviews about The Roman Revolution .
“Clear, succinct and compelling…” AudioFile Magazine about The Byzantine World War.
“A thrilling blend of historical rigor and dramatic storytelling.” Kirkus Reviews about The Byzantine World War.
346 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2023
413 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Nick Holmes
8 books96 followersHello, I'm a British author, podcaster, and historian, and welcome to my series of books on the Fall Of The Roman Empire. My passion is Roman history. I've wandered among the ruins of the Roman Forum and wondered what happened to this great civilisation? I've stared into the dome of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and reflected on how the Roman Empire lasted for centuries after Rome itself was sacked, even when its capital moved to Constantinople. So, I've embarked on writing the full account of this momentous time.
Immerse yourself in this incredible story. It may surprise you to find that those events so long ago are strangely relevant to our modern times, from the changing climate to religion, and from war to peace. Let us listen to the voices from the past.
And if you like podcasts, try mine "The Fall of the Roman Empire", which accompanies my books, and please check out my website which offers a free book and much more at www.nickholmesauthor.com
Immerse yourself in this incredible story. It may surprise you to find that those events so long ago are strangely relevant to our modern times, from the changing climate to religion, and from war to peace. Let us listen to the voices from the past.
And if you like podcasts, try mine "The Fall of the Roman Empire", which accompanies my books, and please check out my website which offers a free book and much more at www.nickholmesauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 24, 2025
The Fall of Rome by Nick Holmes – 4 Stars
Nick Holmes has written a clear and engaging account of one of history’s most fascinating stories—the decline and fall of Rome. I was impressed with his strong use of research sources, which gives the book both credibility and depth. It’s also a very fluid read, and I found that it correlates nicely with Adrian Goldsworthy’s In the Name of Rome.
One of the most interesting takeaways for me was Holmes’ discussion of how much of Rome’s downfall can be traced to a changing climate. This environmental shift forced Asiatic peoples to migrate west, creating new pressures that the Empire could not fully withstand. He also highlights how, after major defeats in the 3rd century, Rome was increasingly forced to rely on mercenaries such as the Goths. (No, the bands Rammstein and The Cure were not involved! :-) These Germanic tribes often sold their loyalty to the highest bidder—and in the end, they were among those who sacked Rome itself.
Holmes does an excellent job of showing that the fall wasn’t a single dramatic collapse, but a slow erosion over centuries. While at times I wished for more detail in certain sections, the overall narrative is both compelling and thought-provoking.
A very strong read for anyone interested in late Roman history, and one that pairs well with other works on the subject.
Nick Holmes has written a clear and engaging account of one of history’s most fascinating stories—the decline and fall of Rome. I was impressed with his strong use of research sources, which gives the book both credibility and depth. It’s also a very fluid read, and I found that it correlates nicely with Adrian Goldsworthy’s In the Name of Rome.
One of the most interesting takeaways for me was Holmes’ discussion of how much of Rome’s downfall can be traced to a changing climate. This environmental shift forced Asiatic peoples to migrate west, creating new pressures that the Empire could not fully withstand. He also highlights how, after major defeats in the 3rd century, Rome was increasingly forced to rely on mercenaries such as the Goths. (No, the bands Rammstein and The Cure were not involved! :-) These Germanic tribes often sold their loyalty to the highest bidder—and in the end, they were among those who sacked Rome itself.
Holmes does an excellent job of showing that the fall wasn’t a single dramatic collapse, but a slow erosion over centuries. While at times I wished for more detail in certain sections, the overall narrative is both compelling and thought-provoking.
A very strong read for anyone interested in late Roman history, and one that pairs well with other works on the subject.
March 18, 2026
The book is the second one in a series on the fall of the Roman Empire. The present volume covers the events from the end of Constantine's rule all the way to the sack of Rome in 410 at the hands of Alaric the Goth. The focus is on explaining the collapse of the late Roman army and its failure not only to defend the western frontiers but also to defend the city of Rome itself. Parallel to this there is also an examination of the internal condition of the Roman Empire on the eve of the barbarian migrations.
The narrative features a rich assembly of figures, chief amongst them, in terms of potential and consequences, are Julian the Apostate and Theodosius the Great (though the author convincingly makes the case that he is not that 'great' after all).
When it comes to potential, Julian was a breath of fresh air, a man with a vision who could have revived Roman military dominance had he defeated Persia. He embarked on a policy of radical reform to restore the golden age of Pax Romana. Julian tried to roll back Diocletian's administrative reforms and reduce the size and cost of the central bureaucracy running the empire. When it comes to Christianity, his aim was to establish a level playing field between Christianity and the pagan religions. As to the religious persecution he was accused of orchestrating, it has been greatly exaggerated (on the topic of the alleged persecution I recommend reading H. C. Teitler's "
The Last Pagan Emperor: Julian the Apostate and the War against Christianity")
Concerning consequences, Theodosius was the man whose decisions had the most negative and unforeseeable results, as they culminated in the year 410, in what effectively sealed the fate of the western half of the empire for good. Instead of reconstructing the elite regiments that made up the trained core of the eastern army ( previously decimated in the Battle of Adrianople) he opted for what would later develop into a process of 'the barbarization' of the army, essentially replacing elite soldiers with barbarian mercenaries. He then proceeded to use Goths as his professional fighting force in his civil wars with the western empire, where he defeated two usurpers using barbarians and not Romans as his crack troops. Theodosius won these battles by destroying the western field army, and by 394 both halves of the empire had lost most of their best native troops. "The great" single-handedly killed the professional backbone of the Roman army. After his reign, the Romans became increasingly dependent on mercenaries instead of Roman troops, and such mercenaries had agendas different from those of Rome.
The author sees the sack of Rome in 410 as the effective end of the western empire (not 476) since in his view the western empire received a mortal blow in the years 406–10. After 410, it never had a serious hope of turning back the clock.
"After 410, the narrative changed. It was no longer about the restoration of the western empire; it was about the battle for political supremacy between several barbarian powers which supplanted Rome within the former territory of the western empire."
So, to sum up the author's reason for this fall:
the Huns, who, suffering from a mega-drought in their homeland, drove west, pushing the Germanic tribes to cross the Roman frontiers along the Rhine and the Danube. In contrast to the third century, the Germans did not come as raiders but as migrants desperately seeking refuge from the Hunnic hordes. This created massive pressure on the Roman borders on a scale much greater than that during the crisis of the third century. this massive influx of entire tribal confederations happened at a time when the inheritors of Aeneas were facing a major structural decline within their army.
On the political level, Power struggles blurred the long term thinking of decision makers both in the east and west, Weak-willed emperors became prone to dependence on more decisive political actors, who often sought their own survival at the expense of the collective enterprise that Rome, whether united or divided into East and West, represented. A mix of decisions borne out of expediency and tactical manoeuvring made any sort of long-lasting and exploitable breakthrough impossible. it is as if the body parts, in a state of paranoid anticipation, either fearful due to a lack of communication that made it impossible to read one another’s intentions or in pursuit of goals totally incompatible with those of the organic whole, ravaged each other, limb against limb, head against heart, cell against cell.
This volume ends with the sack of Rome and the death of Alaric the goth.
This has been my second book by the author, and the second in the series, and so far I can attest that his style is superbly engaging, brief yet informative, and capable of breaking down a complex sea of events, names, and places into a coherent, vibrant narrative. This series so far combines both a story wonderful to tell and the right man to communicate it. I would definitely recommend it.
Rating: 4/5.
The narrative features a rich assembly of figures, chief amongst them, in terms of potential and consequences, are Julian the Apostate and Theodosius the Great (though the author convincingly makes the case that he is not that 'great' after all).
When it comes to potential, Julian was a breath of fresh air, a man with a vision who could have revived Roman military dominance had he defeated Persia. He embarked on a policy of radical reform to restore the golden age of Pax Romana. Julian tried to roll back Diocletian's administrative reforms and reduce the size and cost of the central bureaucracy running the empire. When it comes to Christianity, his aim was to establish a level playing field between Christianity and the pagan religions. As to the religious persecution he was accused of orchestrating, it has been greatly exaggerated (on the topic of the alleged persecution I recommend reading H. C. Teitler's "
The Last Pagan Emperor: Julian the Apostate and the War against Christianity")
Concerning consequences, Theodosius was the man whose decisions had the most negative and unforeseeable results, as they culminated in the year 410, in what effectively sealed the fate of the western half of the empire for good. Instead of reconstructing the elite regiments that made up the trained core of the eastern army ( previously decimated in the Battle of Adrianople) he opted for what would later develop into a process of 'the barbarization' of the army, essentially replacing elite soldiers with barbarian mercenaries. He then proceeded to use Goths as his professional fighting force in his civil wars with the western empire, where he defeated two usurpers using barbarians and not Romans as his crack troops. Theodosius won these battles by destroying the western field army, and by 394 both halves of the empire had lost most of their best native troops. "The great" single-handedly killed the professional backbone of the Roman army. After his reign, the Romans became increasingly dependent on mercenaries instead of Roman troops, and such mercenaries had agendas different from those of Rome.
The author sees the sack of Rome in 410 as the effective end of the western empire (not 476) since in his view the western empire received a mortal blow in the years 406–10. After 410, it never had a serious hope of turning back the clock.
"After 410, the narrative changed. It was no longer about the restoration of the western empire; it was about the battle for political supremacy between several barbarian powers which supplanted Rome within the former territory of the western empire."
So, to sum up the author's reason for this fall:
the Huns, who, suffering from a mega-drought in their homeland, drove west, pushing the Germanic tribes to cross the Roman frontiers along the Rhine and the Danube. In contrast to the third century, the Germans did not come as raiders but as migrants desperately seeking refuge from the Hunnic hordes. This created massive pressure on the Roman borders on a scale much greater than that during the crisis of the third century. this massive influx of entire tribal confederations happened at a time when the inheritors of Aeneas were facing a major structural decline within their army.
On the political level, Power struggles blurred the long term thinking of decision makers both in the east and west, Weak-willed emperors became prone to dependence on more decisive political actors, who often sought their own survival at the expense of the collective enterprise that Rome, whether united or divided into East and West, represented. A mix of decisions borne out of expediency and tactical manoeuvring made any sort of long-lasting and exploitable breakthrough impossible. it is as if the body parts, in a state of paranoid anticipation, either fearful due to a lack of communication that made it impossible to read one another’s intentions or in pursuit of goals totally incompatible with those of the organic whole, ravaged each other, limb against limb, head against heart, cell against cell.
This volume ends with the sack of Rome and the death of Alaric the goth.
This has been my second book by the author, and the second in the series, and so far I can attest that his style is superbly engaging, brief yet informative, and capable of breaking down a complex sea of events, names, and places into a coherent, vibrant narrative. This series so far combines both a story wonderful to tell and the right man to communicate it. I would definitely recommend it.
Rating: 4/5.
October 14, 2023
The author makes a good case that civil war, a failure of political leadership, the decline of the Roman army, and the large Germanic migrations of the 4th and 5th centuries were what destroyed the Roman Empire.
January 28, 2025
The Fall of Rome: End of a Superpower posits interesting theories regarding the fall of Rome; that a combination of poor leadership, over-reliance on mercenaries, climate change and The forced migration of tribes and clans into Roman territory by the Huns caused Rome’s fall. For the most part, I agree.
Nick Holmes is a great, concise writer. Though he’s definitely not as academically written as, say, Goldsworthy, his simple and straightforward writings offer an easy read that’s at once informative and filled with opinion, which I like.
Though I didn’t really learn much, I definitely shored up my knowledge of this era, and its always good to hear more than one viewpoint on such a deep topic as the fall of the Western Empire.
Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good introduction to the last years of the Western Empire as a successful (if ailing) state and the beginning of its death throes.
Nick Holmes is a great, concise writer. Though he’s definitely not as academically written as, say, Goldsworthy, his simple and straightforward writings offer an easy read that’s at once informative and filled with opinion, which I like.
Though I didn’t really learn much, I definitely shored up my knowledge of this era, and its always good to hear more than one viewpoint on such a deep topic as the fall of the Western Empire.
Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good introduction to the last years of the Western Empire as a successful (if ailing) state and the beginning of its death throes.
January 29, 2026
4* super interesting theories about how climate change pushed the Huns into Europe/Middle east and started a domino effect.
I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow over the fact that it was mentioned that Edward Gibbons in his famous book on fall of Rome blamed the Christian church for decadence and siphoning off resources that didn’t produce any economic returns… because at the time (enlightenment period) it was popular to blame the church.
Now Holmes is blaming climate change… at a time it is popular to blame climate change. That said there is certainly evidence to support the theory based on 2k year old juniper tree rings on the steppes so it makes sense and for what it’s worth I certainly think we should be thinking about how climate change can have unexpected consequences.
I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow over the fact that it was mentioned that Edward Gibbons in his famous book on fall of Rome blamed the Christian church for decadence and siphoning off resources that didn’t produce any economic returns… because at the time (enlightenment period) it was popular to blame the church.
Now Holmes is blaming climate change… at a time it is popular to blame climate change. That said there is certainly evidence to support the theory based on 2k year old juniper tree rings on the steppes so it makes sense and for what it’s worth I certainly think we should be thinking about how climate change can have unexpected consequences.
October 9, 2023
Books 1 & 2 Outstanding, intellegent & engaging
Holmes has crafted a really brilliant narrative. I have, since my early teenage years been fascinated by Rome, it's beginnings and the end of the Empires. We often focus on the founding & the Republic and the 12 Caesars and what Nick Holmes has achieved is a comprehensive history, but also insights from current disciplines seldom acknowledged by, let me say, celebrity historians. I
These books lack the ego of their author. Thank God. I look forward to the feast continuing.
Holmes has crafted a really brilliant narrative. I have, since my early teenage years been fascinated by Rome, it's beginnings and the end of the Empires. We often focus on the founding & the Republic and the 12 Caesars and what Nick Holmes has achieved is a comprehensive history, but also insights from current disciplines seldom acknowledged by, let me say, celebrity historians. I
These books lack the ego of their author. Thank God. I look forward to the feast continuing.
November 10, 2024
Good Book. A bit speculative, especially compared to the first book and I am not sure I agree with a few of his conclusions but the author is more the expert than me. The idea going through my mind while reading this book is some of the similarities to the current situation in the United States. I'll leave it at that and not say any more. Definitely worth reading in any case
May 12, 2024
I'm not one to write a full review, but after reading this book, it became increasingly obvious to me that the disaster at Adrianople was not the inevitable end of the Western Empire. The Romans had numerous opportunities to rectify the situation, but they were too busy fighting amongst themselves when they should have worked together to rid themselves of the barbaric threat.
September 25, 2023
Excellent overview of the Roman Empire in the fourth and early fifth centuries
The history of the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity is fascinating, complex, and confusing. There is much we simply don't know. This book is an excellent introduction to those new to the subject and a great refresher for those who already have some knowledge of it.
The history of the Roman Empire in Late Antiquity is fascinating, complex, and confusing. There is much we simply don't know. This book is an excellent introduction to those new to the subject and a great refresher for those who already have some knowledge of it.
July 29, 2023
A cautionary tale?
Was it an internal breakdown in the economic, political and military institutions of the Roman Empire, or the pressures from invasions driven by the impact of climate change among the nomadic tribes of the Asian steppe? This book provides a concise narrative providing a compelling theory that it was all of the above. And can that help us better understand where we are today as a civilization fighting similar declines and pressures?
Was it an internal breakdown in the economic, political and military institutions of the Roman Empire, or the pressures from invasions driven by the impact of climate change among the nomadic tribes of the Asian steppe? This book provides a concise narrative providing a compelling theory that it was all of the above. And can that help us better understand where we are today as a civilization fighting similar declines and pressures?
December 2, 2024
I quite like Holmes's writing style - I find it to be succinct and to the point, with a little bit of scene-setting that really helps the reader get into the moment that he is describing. His arguments are well thought out and well-explained.
January 18, 2024
This is a pretty good book. I read it before going to sleep at night, and it did NOT put me to sleep. It is important information about the end of the western Roman Empire, and it is well researched and well written.
April 7, 2024
Holmes has written a fascinating history of the Fall of Rome. A very intriguing read and read it with much interest. I didn't agree with everything, but he did offer some interesting insights into why the Roman Empire finally fell. One of his most forceful arguments is that climate change was a contributing factor. Although I don’t always react well to that phrase, Holmes introduced some facts that I hadn’t ever remembered hearing. Because of severe famine different people groups moved to find food. The Huns were those who moved west and when they did they pushed the Goths further towards Rome; a domino effect.
As coincidence would have it, I happened to be reading the book of Daniel, from the Old Testament, at the same time. My view of history is a bit different than Holmes'. As I read Daniel, all the events that took place in the Roman Empire fit so perfectly with the prophecies in Daniel. Holmes repeatedly stated that Christianity did not bring the downfall of Rome of Western Rome. And I would agree. In fact, he says that the eastern part of the empire flourished because of Christianity.
But as I read the history it was clear to me that the empire fell because of its division, jealousy, cruelty and inept leadership.
One emperor who Holmes wrote in depth about was Julian the Apostate. I found this history absolutely absorbing.
Julian's desire was to bring back the golden days of Rome, to rebuild what the first emperors had started. Although some of those ideals were good, one of those rebirths involved paganism. Since paganism had fallen out of popularity, Julian planned to bring it back. Also, in his plans was to defeat Persia, not because they were doing anything threatening, but just because.
Julian started on his way to Persia by way of Antioch. In Antioch he wanted to celebrate a pagan holiday but couldn’t find a priest to begin the celebration. Christianity had taken such a hold that the pagan temples were deserted. Julian spent months in Antioch trying to change the apparent apathy towards the pagan religion, without success. After nine months he continued on to battle with Persia. What is telling is that this battle was not something that was provoked by Persia. In fact, the Persian king tried to offer peace, but Julian wouldn't hear of it. The battle was a disaster. Justinian was killed and left the empire in a quandary as there were no designated leaders, since the death was so unexpected. Not long after his death there was yet another battle, Adrianople. This battle was a catastrophic defeat for Rome. One which they never recovered from.
Holmes spent quite a lot of ink, wondering “What if, Justinian had succeeded in his plans to bring back the Rome of the past?” That may be interesting speculation to some, but it is unanswerable and quite useless. He says near the end of the book that one of the reasons Rome fell was because of luck, or rather bad luck. I can’t even think that can be considered a valid reason for any history book. He lists the series of bad luck. Julian’s death. Well, Julian rushed into battle without his breastplate on. Not a good move. The incompetence of Valens at Adrianople. Not luck at all. He refused to wait for reinforcements because of jealousy of the commander who lead that regiment. Then the Theodosian dynasty was plagued with civil war. All of these show that Rome really had what Daniel described as, “legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” It had strength at times but the clay feet, the jealousy, infighting, power grabbing and pagan beliefs) could not withstand all that came upon them.
I found it interesting that as Rome neared its end, when the Gothic leader Alaric was at Rome’s doorstep, demanding gold and goods, the senators called on their gods to save them. Of course, no intervention came from their dead religion. Their time to rule came and was now over.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Holmes makes history interesting and fascinating. I just disagreed with a few of his conclusions but that doesn't take away from the enthralling tale Holmes told.
As coincidence would have it, I happened to be reading the book of Daniel, from the Old Testament, at the same time. My view of history is a bit different than Holmes'. As I read Daniel, all the events that took place in the Roman Empire fit so perfectly with the prophecies in Daniel. Holmes repeatedly stated that Christianity did not bring the downfall of Rome of Western Rome. And I would agree. In fact, he says that the eastern part of the empire flourished because of Christianity.
But as I read the history it was clear to me that the empire fell because of its division, jealousy, cruelty and inept leadership.
One emperor who Holmes wrote in depth about was Julian the Apostate. I found this history absolutely absorbing.
Julian's desire was to bring back the golden days of Rome, to rebuild what the first emperors had started. Although some of those ideals were good, one of those rebirths involved paganism. Since paganism had fallen out of popularity, Julian planned to bring it back. Also, in his plans was to defeat Persia, not because they were doing anything threatening, but just because.
Julian started on his way to Persia by way of Antioch. In Antioch he wanted to celebrate a pagan holiday but couldn’t find a priest to begin the celebration. Christianity had taken such a hold that the pagan temples were deserted. Julian spent months in Antioch trying to change the apparent apathy towards the pagan religion, without success. After nine months he continued on to battle with Persia. What is telling is that this battle was not something that was provoked by Persia. In fact, the Persian king tried to offer peace, but Julian wouldn't hear of it. The battle was a disaster. Justinian was killed and left the empire in a quandary as there were no designated leaders, since the death was so unexpected. Not long after his death there was yet another battle, Adrianople. This battle was a catastrophic defeat for Rome. One which they never recovered from.
Holmes spent quite a lot of ink, wondering “What if, Justinian had succeeded in his plans to bring back the Rome of the past?” That may be interesting speculation to some, but it is unanswerable and quite useless. He says near the end of the book that one of the reasons Rome fell was because of luck, or rather bad luck. I can’t even think that can be considered a valid reason for any history book. He lists the series of bad luck. Julian’s death. Well, Julian rushed into battle without his breastplate on. Not a good move. The incompetence of Valens at Adrianople. Not luck at all. He refused to wait for reinforcements because of jealousy of the commander who lead that regiment. Then the Theodosian dynasty was plagued with civil war. All of these show that Rome really had what Daniel described as, “legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” It had strength at times but the clay feet, the jealousy, infighting, power grabbing and pagan beliefs) could not withstand all that came upon them.
I found it interesting that as Rome neared its end, when the Gothic leader Alaric was at Rome’s doorstep, demanding gold and goods, the senators called on their gods to save them. Of course, no intervention came from their dead religion. Their time to rule came and was now over.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Holmes makes history interesting and fascinating. I just disagreed with a few of his conclusions but that doesn't take away from the enthralling tale Holmes told.
October 10, 2023
Still interesting, the continuation of the story started in the Roman Revolution takes us from the end of Constantine the Great's reign to the sack of Rome by Alaric in 410 and makes a case that the sack represented the true fall of Rome rather than the usually accepted deposition of the last (boy) emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 and also presents a few more ideas - a sort of luck evens out theory, as Rome's rise had an element of luck (eg Alexander died young before he could consolidate his empire and campaign in the West as he is presumed to have planned, the Greek successor states were in their decadent phase in the early 200's etc, Rome's fall had an element of bad luck (Julian, the one competent Emperor after Constantine, who mounts what will turn out to be the last major expedition of the Empire, dies young in a skirmish, the Huns are forced - most likely by extensive drought to migrate - so pushing the Germanic tribes into the Empire, Valens and his officials make disastrous decisions and the eastern roman army is destroyed at Adrianople, while Theodosius, his succesor starts enrolling German tribes rather than rebuilding it and then with their help destroys the Western army in civil wars etc)
Really looking forward to the promised next in the story that will continue the story until Justinian's time and his attempts at reconquering the West
Really looking forward to the promised next in the story that will continue the story until Justinian's time and his attempts at reconquering the West
May 7, 2026
Reading this book so quickly after the first in the series probably speaks to how much of a pleasure these books are to read. I'm thoroughly enjoying this fast-paced and thrilling account of how the Roman world came to an end.
I think Holmes has achieved something really amazing in putting together the story of the decline of Rome in a concise manner. These books are less challenging than some of the tomes that have been produced on historical moments like this. The books pack in the balance of explaining the high level forces at play in history while also adding the human element and telling the anecdotes and stories that bring a world from the past alive.
I like Holmes' argument about what caused the decline of the Roman Empire: a combination of mismanagement and a changing environment. I think it is certainly a plausible theory and it would explain why the huns would march so far to reach Europe.
My only frustrations with the book are that it seemed like Holmes padded this one out by using a condensed version of his 'Rise of Rome' section from the previous book. The other problem is that I wonder if Holmes is taking artistic license with the descriptions of some events but I could be wrong and these might come from contemporary sources.
I think Holmes has achieved something really amazing in putting together the story of the decline of Rome in a concise manner. These books are less challenging than some of the tomes that have been produced on historical moments like this. The books pack in the balance of explaining the high level forces at play in history while also adding the human element and telling the anecdotes and stories that bring a world from the past alive.
I like Holmes' argument about what caused the decline of the Roman Empire: a combination of mismanagement and a changing environment. I think it is certainly a plausible theory and it would explain why the huns would march so far to reach Europe.
My only frustrations with the book are that it seemed like Holmes padded this one out by using a condensed version of his 'Rise of Rome' section from the previous book. The other problem is that I wonder if Holmes is taking artistic license with the descriptions of some events but I could be wrong and these might come from contemporary sources.
December 24, 2024
Holmes' second book covers from the recovery of the Roman Empire from the Crisis of the Third Century to the sacking of Rome in 410.
Well, mostly. While the second book in a series, it is meant to be a stand-alone read as well. This means there's some lead-in summary introduction. This is generally fine, but a lot of it is copy-and-pasted from book one, which makes it rough going if you read one directly after another. I can't blame him, but some sort of guidepost to where that stops would have been good in my case.
But the main action is tracing the events that brought Alaric to Rome, three times, and led him to sack it.
Along the way, we see various people come and go, decisions made, and the slow crumbling away of authority in the western Empire, until the government is in northern Italy (Ravenna), and unable/unwilling to do anything for Rome when Alaric threatens it.
Holmes also sees this as the 'true' end of the Western Empire, rather than the later ending of central authority there. He's not alone in that assessment, and you could make a very good argument (he doesn't, really) that it is the end of the west's reputation, and that the next fifty years were government without respect. Personally, I go with the "official" end of government, but that is entirely a personal preference.
So, this is the tale of the years leading up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, well-told at a high level, with attention paid to more modern works, especially dealing with climate change. I think he missed another opportunity here. He does reference Peter Heather's The Fall of the Roman Empire, but I think Holmes would have been better served to pay attention to his Empires and Barbarians, which looks at the Germanic migrations through the lens of modern migration studies.
So, another readable, informative book. If you have an interest in the later Roman Empire, but are not already well-read on it, this is a great place to start. But... maybe don't read this right after the first book.
Well, mostly. While the second book in a series, it is meant to be a stand-alone read as well. This means there's some lead-in summary introduction. This is generally fine, but a lot of it is copy-and-pasted from book one, which makes it rough going if you read one directly after another. I can't blame him, but some sort of guidepost to where that stops would have been good in my case.
But the main action is tracing the events that brought Alaric to Rome, three times, and led him to sack it.
Along the way, we see various people come and go, decisions made, and the slow crumbling away of authority in the western Empire, until the government is in northern Italy (Ravenna), and unable/unwilling to do anything for Rome when Alaric threatens it.
Holmes also sees this as the 'true' end of the Western Empire, rather than the later ending of central authority there. He's not alone in that assessment, and you could make a very good argument (he doesn't, really) that it is the end of the west's reputation, and that the next fifty years were government without respect. Personally, I go with the "official" end of government, but that is entirely a personal preference.
So, this is the tale of the years leading up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, well-told at a high level, with attention paid to more modern works, especially dealing with climate change. I think he missed another opportunity here. He does reference Peter Heather's The Fall of the Roman Empire, but I think Holmes would have been better served to pay attention to his Empires and Barbarians, which looks at the Germanic migrations through the lens of modern migration studies.
So, another readable, informative book. If you have an interest in the later Roman Empire, but are not already well-read on it, this is a great place to start. But... maybe don't read this right after the first book.
June 19, 2025
I really liked this book. holmes tells the story of the Roman empire from the death of Constantine to the sack of Rome in 410. it's a great survey of the period and has razor sharp pen portraits of the leading characters.
this is wedded to a good structural analysis of the problems facing the Roman Empire - especially how climate change ( a huge decades long drought) forced the Huns westward which upset Germanic Europe with devastating consequences for Rome.
Holmes makes a good job of explaining what the challenges were and why the Roman response was inadequate - the multi pronged problems supported a division of the empire but that led to civil war. so add in a few defeats to barbarians and some huge civil wars and the Roman army by 400 is a shadow of its former self.
this is wedded to a good structural analysis of the problems facing the Roman Empire - especially how climate change ( a huge decades long drought) forced the Huns westward which upset Germanic Europe with devastating consequences for Rome.
Holmes makes a good job of explaining what the challenges were and why the Roman response was inadequate - the multi pronged problems supported a division of the empire but that led to civil war. so add in a few defeats to barbarians and some huge civil wars and the Roman army by 400 is a shadow of its former self.
June 12, 2024
This is the second in a series of books by Holmes about the fall of the Roman Empire. The first, entitled, The Roman Revolution, focuses on the rise of Christianity (a book I reviewed in November 2023). In this book, Holmes purports to cover the critical period from the time of Constantine the Great to the sack of Rome by Alaric and the Goths in 410 AD. In my opinion, he has bitten off more than he can chew in a small volume. The result is a rather superficial and cursory history that deserves a lot more critical attention. Instead, this book reads like a survey course that you might come across in high school.
March 8, 2025
Science and History Combined
Nick Holmes’ discusses the fall of the Roman Empire and possible causes. His study discusses government policies, foreign invasions as well as climate change in explaining the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. His books are well written, richly researched and are short enough to read in a couple of weeks. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the late Roman period.
Nick Holmes’ discusses the fall of the Roman Empire and possible causes. His study discusses government policies, foreign invasions as well as climate change in explaining the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. His books are well written, richly researched and are short enough to read in a couple of weeks. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the late Roman period.
March 14, 2026
An accurate historical read but not compelling
This is a good historical read which notes many subtitle facts that contributed to the fall of Rome. It was a little difficult to follow many of the leaders mentioned but overall the timelines and supporting circumstances provided the reader a very accurate understanding of the history of Rome
This is a good historical read which notes many subtitle facts that contributed to the fall of Rome. It was a little difficult to follow many of the leaders mentioned but overall the timelines and supporting circumstances provided the reader a very accurate understanding of the history of Rome
July 8, 2023
Great review of the period
Modern scholarship informed examination of the last days of the original, albeit Western capital and provinces of the empire. Rome fell, the Roman empire persisted much longer.
Modern scholarship informed examination of the last days of the original, albeit Western capital and provinces of the empire. Rome fell, the Roman empire persisted much longer.
July 9, 2023
Fall of Rome
This is an excellent book, easy to read, good ideas and arguments out forward in a clear concise manner.One of the best books about the fall of Rome.I highly recommend it
This is an excellent book, easy to read, good ideas and arguments out forward in a clear concise manner.One of the best books about the fall of Rome.I highly recommend it
July 14, 2023
Sufficiently details to be fascinating, sufficiently concise not to be boring. Explanations are given freely so that no prior knowledge of the subject is needed.
An intriguing story well supported by maps end tables.
An intriguing story well supported by maps end tables.
July 28, 2023
Rome in a new light
While much has been written about the Roman Empire, certainly much more can still be written. This topic is deep’ wide, intense and profound. Are there lessons for us? Most certainly, and the sooner we learn them the better.
While much has been written about the Roman Empire, certainly much more can still be written. This topic is deep’ wide, intense and profound. Are there lessons for us? Most certainly, and the sooner we learn them the better.
October 4, 2023
An enjoyable read.
Very informative about a period I was woefully ignorant of. It reads like a novel and I found it quite a page turner. He draws interesting conclusions that I found difficult to disagree with. I look forward to the next title in the series.
Very informative about a period I was woefully ignorant of. It reads like a novel and I found it quite a page turner. He draws interesting conclusions that I found difficult to disagree with. I look forward to the next title in the series.
July 29, 2024
Holmes brings to life the players and the times without sacrificing historical accuracy.
A very readable (I couldn't put it down) and enlightening review of the couple centuries leading to the sack of Rome. I highly recommend that you start with Book 1.
A very readable (I couldn't put it down) and enlightening review of the couple centuries leading to the sack of Rome. I highly recommend that you start with Book 1.
March 29, 2025
I would have liked this book more if the author didn’t repeat himself so often. Some chapters later in the book start out retelling the same story that was told in previous chapters. If you take out all the repeated information this book would be a lot shorter.
September 11, 2025
Loved the book. Goes through the Roman emperors and how incompetence and infighting, along with immigration that did not assimilate led to the fall of Rome. Hmmmm, haven't heard of that before, right?
October 24, 2024
Thoughtful view encompassing many aspects
Learned so much about the complexity of the Roman story. Another example of how poor leadership and greed leads to failure.
Learned so much about the complexity of the Roman story. Another example of how poor leadership and greed leads to failure.
February 13, 2025
Well written and easy to follow. Quite interesting.
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