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Fall of the Roman Empire Book #4
Justinian's Empire: Triumph and Tragedy
IT WAS AN AGE OF GLORY...
...BUT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
'A riveting account of Justinian's reign that challenges traditional consensus' Kirkus Reviews
The sixth-century AD witnessed a remarkable turn-around in the Roman Empire's fortunes. Justinian’s general, Belisarius, recovered North Africa and Italy from the barbarians. An impressive new law code was inaugurated that would endure to this day. Astonishing building projects, like the iconic Hagia Sophia, rivalled the great monuments of Old Rome.
But rather than restoring Rome’s greatness did Justinian in fact pave the way for its collapse less than a century after his death? Drawing on the contemporary sources, especially those of the chronicler Procopius, Nick Holmes reveals a darker side to Justinian - a ruthless opportunist, whose costly conquests and misguided priorities drained the empire’s wealth and critically weakened its army.
This is the fourth volume in Nick Holmes’ series on the Fall of the Roman Empire. The first three books trace the empire’s story from the ‘crisis of the third century’, through its reinvention by Constantine as a Christian state, and then onto the fall of its western half. A fifth volume will tell of its rapid demise in the seventh century AD, when the first Islamic Caliphate became the new superpower of western Eurasia.
Praise for Nick Holmes’ Books
'A talent for storytelling' Kirkus Reviews
‘Clear, succinct and compelling’ AudioFile Magazine
‘Perhaps the best historical story-teller alive’ Amazon Reviewer
...BUT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
'A riveting account of Justinian's reign that challenges traditional consensus' Kirkus Reviews
The sixth-century AD witnessed a remarkable turn-around in the Roman Empire's fortunes. Justinian’s general, Belisarius, recovered North Africa and Italy from the barbarians. An impressive new law code was inaugurated that would endure to this day. Astonishing building projects, like the iconic Hagia Sophia, rivalled the great monuments of Old Rome.
But rather than restoring Rome’s greatness did Justinian in fact pave the way for its collapse less than a century after his death? Drawing on the contemporary sources, especially those of the chronicler Procopius, Nick Holmes reveals a darker side to Justinian - a ruthless opportunist, whose costly conquests and misguided priorities drained the empire’s wealth and critically weakened its army.
This is the fourth volume in Nick Holmes’ series on the Fall of the Roman Empire. The first three books trace the empire’s story from the ‘crisis of the third century’, through its reinvention by Constantine as a Christian state, and then onto the fall of its western half. A fifth volume will tell of its rapid demise in the seventh century AD, when the first Islamic Caliphate became the new superpower of western Eurasia.
Praise for Nick Holmes’ Books
'A talent for storytelling' Kirkus Reviews
‘Clear, succinct and compelling’ AudioFile Magazine
‘Perhaps the best historical story-teller alive’ Amazon Reviewer
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2024
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 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 21, 2025
Review: Justinian’s Empire by Nick Holmes – ★★★★☆
I enjoyed Justinian’s Empire far more than the previous entry in the series, Rome and Attila. This book felt more focused, informative, and tightly put together, which made the history flow in a way that kept me engaged throughout. You’ve got to hand it to Nick Holmes—he’s diving into a stretch of Roman history that isn’t nearly as popular with readers or even many historians, and yet he makes it readable, approachable, and full of depth. On top of that, he has a smashing podcast that complements the books wonderfully.
Holmes captures both the brilliance and the contradictions of Justinian’s reign. The emperor accomplished astonishing feats: he recaptured North Africa and Italy, embarked on massive building projects (including Hagia Sophia), and completely revamped the legal system in ways that still echo today. Truly amazing achievements. Yet Holmes also shows the darker side of these triumphs—Justinian nearly bankrupted the empire, left the frontiers exposed, and created a surge of short-term success that ultimately weakened the empire’s long-term stability. A high point for the Roman world that, paradoxically, set the stage for decline.
Overall, this was a very good read. Clear, insightful, and balanced, it reminded me why I enjoy Holmes’ work even when he tackles eras that often get overlooked. Not perfect, but a strong and satisfying installment in his series on Rome’s turbulent centuries. I look forward to his future releases!
I enjoyed Justinian’s Empire far more than the previous entry in the series, Rome and Attila. This book felt more focused, informative, and tightly put together, which made the history flow in a way that kept me engaged throughout. You’ve got to hand it to Nick Holmes—he’s diving into a stretch of Roman history that isn’t nearly as popular with readers or even many historians, and yet he makes it readable, approachable, and full of depth. On top of that, he has a smashing podcast that complements the books wonderfully.
Holmes captures both the brilliance and the contradictions of Justinian’s reign. The emperor accomplished astonishing feats: he recaptured North Africa and Italy, embarked on massive building projects (including Hagia Sophia), and completely revamped the legal system in ways that still echo today. Truly amazing achievements. Yet Holmes also shows the darker side of these triumphs—Justinian nearly bankrupted the empire, left the frontiers exposed, and created a surge of short-term success that ultimately weakened the empire’s long-term stability. A high point for the Roman world that, paradoxically, set the stage for decline.
Overall, this was a very good read. Clear, insightful, and balanced, it reminded me why I enjoy Holmes’ work even when he tackles eras that often get overlooked. Not perfect, but a strong and satisfying installment in his series on Rome’s turbulent centuries. I look forward to his future releases!
February 17, 2025
Justinian’s Empire is a decent book on the reign of Justinian, with particular focus on Belisarius, which I think leans a little too heavily into the author’s opinions of the characters in question.
This book focuses on the period immediately following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Holmes discusses the following 50-60 years and the reigns of those emperors in this period.
By far my biggest issue with this book was Holmes’s insistence that Justinian was a poor Emperor. I think that whilst I understand his arguments (the fallen west being not worthwhile to revive, his reckless spending and his ignorance of the east) I think that he delves too far into supposition based on his opinion whilst removing any agency from the Eastern Roman Empire. Particular examples are the apparent pointlessness of reconquering much of the fallen Western Roman Empire. I completely understand where he’s coming from with his economic argument, but then why did the Eastern Roman’s fight so hard for this apparently worthless land. Similarly with his failures against the Persians, why did Justinian get blamed so hard for his losses whilst Julian the Apostate gets more than fairly treated the in one of his previous books. The same happens with Christianity; at one point he says that the different denominations don’t matter for the general public but then goes and says that a big reason that Belisarius was welcomed was his position as the head of a Catholic Army, not an Arian one.
I just think that Holmes has a certain opinion that he wants to push and that this comes in the way of reason at certain points. I think that it’s it worst here and it’s put me off of whatever he writes next, to be honest.
This book focuses on the period immediately following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Holmes discusses the following 50-60 years and the reigns of those emperors in this period.
By far my biggest issue with this book was Holmes’s insistence that Justinian was a poor Emperor. I think that whilst I understand his arguments (the fallen west being not worthwhile to revive, his reckless spending and his ignorance of the east) I think that he delves too far into supposition based on his opinion whilst removing any agency from the Eastern Roman Empire. Particular examples are the apparent pointlessness of reconquering much of the fallen Western Roman Empire. I completely understand where he’s coming from with his economic argument, but then why did the Eastern Roman’s fight so hard for this apparently worthless land. Similarly with his failures against the Persians, why did Justinian get blamed so hard for his losses whilst Julian the Apostate gets more than fairly treated the in one of his previous books. The same happens with Christianity; at one point he says that the different denominations don’t matter for the general public but then goes and says that a big reason that Belisarius was welcomed was his position as the head of a Catholic Army, not an Arian one.
I just think that Holmes has a certain opinion that he wants to push and that this comes in the way of reason at certain points. I think that it’s it worst here and it’s put me off of whatever he writes next, to be honest.
March 15, 2026
Justinian was an insufferable legal prig, an economic mismanager, and a liability to his talented military commanders. Yet, because "lines on map grow bigger" many regard him as a great Roman emperor. These are, no doubt, members of the same demographic that see the United States in the 1990s-2000s as operating at the peak of its abilities and well into its golden era, despite the wheels flying off the cart pretty much since the one-two punch of offshoring and the global war on terror.
Though Procopius (heavily cited in this work) and Gibbon have always been Justinian-haters, the view of the 6th century as one of restoration has become weirdly common in modern times anyway. This book is a welcome corrective to that.
It is also a fun and brisk read that really captures why I love this era when the Late Roman army was at its tactical peak and really reveling in its coolest form: Eurasian steppe cavalry as central to its function.
Though Procopius (heavily cited in this work) and Gibbon have always been Justinian-haters, the view of the 6th century as one of restoration has become weirdly common in modern times anyway. This book is a welcome corrective to that.
It is also a fun and brisk read that really captures why I love this era when the Late Roman army was at its tactical peak and really reveling in its coolest form: Eurasian steppe cavalry as central to its function.
March 26, 2026
This is the fourth book in the series, and this volume covers the reign of Justinian I, with a focus on his wars of reconquest.
The author's evaluation of Justinian's legacy follows mainly three lines of inquiry: What were the sources of his successful campaigns in the West? How did they unfold? Were they worth it?
A simplified answer for each can be summarized as follows:
1/First, Huns and taxes:
Holmes argues that:
a) the military revolution that happened in the fifth century (triggered by the threat that was Attila the Hun) is what made the sixth-century reconquests possible. This revolution took the form of the expansion of field armies (author says they were increased by two), in addition to a profound change in equipment and tactics, influenced by steppe warfare and which were essential in the annihilation of the Vandal state in a blitzkrieg-like campaign.
b) Emperor Anastasius I' monetary and tax reforms strengthened the Eastern Roman economy, which was essential to the Roman expansion under Justinian. As the author says "In short, Anastasius funded Justinian."
Both these development provided Justinian with the springboard for reconquest, and the opportunity for such an undertaking came with the Nika riots.
The rumoured wealth of Africa and the allure of Vandal treasure made the addition of such a province the ultimate vehicle for Justinian to boost his image (specifically after the Nika riots) by claiming some military successes here and there. It was interesting to note the author's remark that there was no grand reconquest plan at the start, and that such a narrative of Roman restoration was only adopted later due to a mix of initial military successes and opportunism.
2/ Second, suffering from success:
In North Africa, after Belisarius's rapid demolition of the Vandal state in 533–534, it took nearly 15 years to pacify the troublesome province after a series of rebellions, insurgencies and mutinies, the reason for which was economic exploitation (the man LOVED his taxes) and military mismanagement that led to dissatisfied and unpaid troops. A similar mismanagement was behind the protracted Gothic campaign in Italy, which took 16 years to conclude after Belisarius had first taken Rome. You see, the army struggled in the Italian theatre simply because they succeeded too much: The pace of the expansion quite literally couldn't keep up with the aftermath of military victories.
During the entire time Belisarius led the Roman forces in Italy, he practically had to consistently beg Justinian for more troops, since the entire East Roman army was overstretched, fighting on four fronts: Persia (against the Sassanids), the Danube (against the Huns), Italy (against the Goths), and Africa (against the Berbers). Constantinople was simply biting more than it could chew .
Even after order was restored and imperial authority was reasserted in these domains, they were left devastated. Years of campaigning, the outbreak of the plague, and severe climate events that brought famine had depopulated them and stripped them of any real economic value.
"It stands as one of history’s greatest ironies that Italy, and Rome in particular, the former heart of the Roman Empire, suffered far greater destruction in Justinian’s wars of reconquest than they ever did under barbarian rule."
3/Lastly, 'Weep, Goths, barbarians...and the treasury':
The most important question still remains: was it worth it? The answer according to the present account is a definitive NO. The author estimates that the combined economic value of the newly conquered territories in Africa, Italy, Illyria, and southern Spain is about the same as the cost of their administration and defense, essentially reducing their economic benefit to the empire to ZERO. This estimation itself, the author points out, is a generous one since it's based on sources before Justinian's conquests. For if we assume:
a) the direct costs of financing the campaigns. b) the indirect costs from diverting troops from the east to Italy, which left the empire exposed to the Persians, something the shahanshah exploited by raiding and wrecking havoc on Roman possessions there (for example the sack and destruction of Antioch), which then required further funds to rebuild.
c) the effects of famine and plague that depopulated the east and therefore reduced both tax revenue and commercial activity.
then the military adventures in the west become not only unprofitable but an active drain on the state budget. Add to this the costs of his massive building programme and, as the author shows, the result is a state on the brink of bankruptcy.
This strain on the central budget explains another negative and enduring legacy of Justinian, something the author argues contributed to the long term ruin of the East Roman Empire: his neglect of the army. Troops went unpaid, and instead of expanding the army to meet present and future threats, he resorted to paying tribute, something which weakened the Roman position and shifted the balance of power towards its enemies.
The author put it better when he said,
"In conclusion, Justinian’s wars of reconquest bankrupted the empire. The main casualty of this was the army which thereafter suffered from chronic under-funding. Of course, it was the army which had brought him success in the first place. It was an ironic price for victory."
Farya Faraji, in his song about Belisarius, imagines the general asserting
“I am the sword of the Roman Empire.
Where is our empire?”
In Faraji’s rendition, Belisarius speaks those words from a position of triumph though one that carries a dash of frustration. One may imagine him in a newly conquered Rome shouting those words to whomever would listen, that indeed Rome is back and I, its sword, had liberated it. yet Within a century after his North African campaign: North Africa was lost to the Umayyad Caliphate. Over a decade after his gothic wars and By 568 AD: the Lombards had invaded Italy and within a few years had overrun most of the peninsula, pushing far beyond the north into central and even southern regions, leaving the Romans holding only fragments of what had been regained... Indeed, with a different tone in mind, one cannot help but imagine asking him, “Where is your empire?”
Along with the present book, I’d recommend:
* 'Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint' by Peter Sarris. Holmes in his book relies on Peter’s work and cites it every now and then, and having read it myself I do recommend it for those interested in the topic. Sarris goes even deeper than Holmes in examining the religious disputes, Justinian’s legal reforms, and also something which the series’ author didn’t mention here, which is Justinian’s religious discrimination against pagans and other religious minorities.
*There’s a lovely 48 minute long video from Yale Courses on YouTube titled “09. The Reign of Justinian”; those interested should check it out (it offers further discussion on the Code of Justinian).
* Although a work of fiction (alternative historical fiction, to be precise), I’d emphasize checking 'Lest Darkness Fall' by L. Sprague de Camp. It’s fun, engaging, and a quick, immersive read set in the Gothic Wars.
Rating:4/5.
The author's evaluation of Justinian's legacy follows mainly three lines of inquiry: What were the sources of his successful campaigns in the West? How did they unfold? Were they worth it?
A simplified answer for each can be summarized as follows:
1/First, Huns and taxes:
Holmes argues that:
a) the military revolution that happened in the fifth century (triggered by the threat that was Attila the Hun) is what made the sixth-century reconquests possible. This revolution took the form of the expansion of field armies (author says they were increased by two), in addition to a profound change in equipment and tactics, influenced by steppe warfare and which were essential in the annihilation of the Vandal state in a blitzkrieg-like campaign.
b) Emperor Anastasius I' monetary and tax reforms strengthened the Eastern Roman economy, which was essential to the Roman expansion under Justinian. As the author says "In short, Anastasius funded Justinian."
Both these development provided Justinian with the springboard for reconquest, and the opportunity for such an undertaking came with the Nika riots.
The rumoured wealth of Africa and the allure of Vandal treasure made the addition of such a province the ultimate vehicle for Justinian to boost his image (specifically after the Nika riots) by claiming some military successes here and there. It was interesting to note the author's remark that there was no grand reconquest plan at the start, and that such a narrative of Roman restoration was only adopted later due to a mix of initial military successes and opportunism.
2/ Second, suffering from success:
In North Africa, after Belisarius's rapid demolition of the Vandal state in 533–534, it took nearly 15 years to pacify the troublesome province after a series of rebellions, insurgencies and mutinies, the reason for which was economic exploitation (the man LOVED his taxes) and military mismanagement that led to dissatisfied and unpaid troops. A similar mismanagement was behind the protracted Gothic campaign in Italy, which took 16 years to conclude after Belisarius had first taken Rome. You see, the army struggled in the Italian theatre simply because they succeeded too much: The pace of the expansion quite literally couldn't keep up with the aftermath of military victories.
During the entire time Belisarius led the Roman forces in Italy, he practically had to consistently beg Justinian for more troops, since the entire East Roman army was overstretched, fighting on four fronts: Persia (against the Sassanids), the Danube (against the Huns), Italy (against the Goths), and Africa (against the Berbers). Constantinople was simply biting more than it could chew .
Even after order was restored and imperial authority was reasserted in these domains, they were left devastated. Years of campaigning, the outbreak of the plague, and severe climate events that brought famine had depopulated them and stripped them of any real economic value.
"It stands as one of history’s greatest ironies that Italy, and Rome in particular, the former heart of the Roman Empire, suffered far greater destruction in Justinian’s wars of reconquest than they ever did under barbarian rule."
3/Lastly, 'Weep, Goths, barbarians...and the treasury':
The most important question still remains: was it worth it? The answer according to the present account is a definitive NO. The author estimates that the combined economic value of the newly conquered territories in Africa, Italy, Illyria, and southern Spain is about the same as the cost of their administration and defense, essentially reducing their economic benefit to the empire to ZERO. This estimation itself, the author points out, is a generous one since it's based on sources before Justinian's conquests. For if we assume:
a) the direct costs of financing the campaigns. b) the indirect costs from diverting troops from the east to Italy, which left the empire exposed to the Persians, something the shahanshah exploited by raiding and wrecking havoc on Roman possessions there (for example the sack and destruction of Antioch), which then required further funds to rebuild.
c) the effects of famine and plague that depopulated the east and therefore reduced both tax revenue and commercial activity.
then the military adventures in the west become not only unprofitable but an active drain on the state budget. Add to this the costs of his massive building programme and, as the author shows, the result is a state on the brink of bankruptcy.
This strain on the central budget explains another negative and enduring legacy of Justinian, something the author argues contributed to the long term ruin of the East Roman Empire: his neglect of the army. Troops went unpaid, and instead of expanding the army to meet present and future threats, he resorted to paying tribute, something which weakened the Roman position and shifted the balance of power towards its enemies.
The author put it better when he said,
"In conclusion, Justinian’s wars of reconquest bankrupted the empire. The main casualty of this was the army which thereafter suffered from chronic under-funding. Of course, it was the army which had brought him success in the first place. It was an ironic price for victory."
Farya Faraji, in his song about Belisarius, imagines the general asserting
“I am the sword of the Roman Empire.
Where is our empire?”
In Faraji’s rendition, Belisarius speaks those words from a position of triumph though one that carries a dash of frustration. One may imagine him in a newly conquered Rome shouting those words to whomever would listen, that indeed Rome is back and I, its sword, had liberated it. yet Within a century after his North African campaign: North Africa was lost to the Umayyad Caliphate. Over a decade after his gothic wars and By 568 AD: the Lombards had invaded Italy and within a few years had overrun most of the peninsula, pushing far beyond the north into central and even southern regions, leaving the Romans holding only fragments of what had been regained... Indeed, with a different tone in mind, one cannot help but imagine asking him, “Where is your empire?”
Along with the present book, I’d recommend:
* 'Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint' by Peter Sarris. Holmes in his book relies on Peter’s work and cites it every now and then, and having read it myself I do recommend it for those interested in the topic. Sarris goes even deeper than Holmes in examining the religious disputes, Justinian’s legal reforms, and also something which the series’ author didn’t mention here, which is Justinian’s religious discrimination against pagans and other religious minorities.
*There’s a lovely 48 minute long video from Yale Courses on YouTube titled “09. The Reign of Justinian”; those interested should check it out (it offers further discussion on the Code of Justinian).
* Although a work of fiction (alternative historical fiction, to be precise), I’d emphasize checking 'Lest Darkness Fall' by L. Sprague de Camp. It’s fun, engaging, and a quick, immersive read set in the Gothic Wars.
Rating:4/5.
March 30, 2025
Excellent as usual
A good look at the reality of Justinian's reign.
My quibble is, he puts a lot of reliance on the secret history without explaining why he sees it as so valid.
A good look at the reality of Justinian's reign.
My quibble is, he puts a lot of reliance on the secret history without explaining why he sees it as so valid.
August 25, 2025
this is the 4th book in a book series tracing Roman history from the crisis of the 3rd century which saw the end of "classical Rome" to the Arab invasions of the 7th century which ended the Roman empire as the dominant power in the Mediterranean.
as ever this is an excellent book that focuses on the eastern Roman empire from the fall of the west to the death of Justinian. Holmes has a good command of the material and winds back and forth between the effects of mega events such as plague, famine and climate change and the personal.
His ultimate conclusion was that Justinian's conquests in the west were too expensive and weakened the Roman army on its key frontiers of the Danube and with Persia. by the end of his reign, Justinian was paying a lot of gold to his opponents to buy peace. Justinian inherited a compact, well financed and well defended empire but left a bloated, bankrupt and broken empire.
as ever this is an excellent book that focuses on the eastern Roman empire from the fall of the west to the death of Justinian. Holmes has a good command of the material and winds back and forth between the effects of mega events such as plague, famine and climate change and the personal.
His ultimate conclusion was that Justinian's conquests in the west were too expensive and weakened the Roman army on its key frontiers of the Danube and with Persia. by the end of his reign, Justinian was paying a lot of gold to his opponents to buy peace. Justinian inherited a compact, well financed and well defended empire but left a bloated, bankrupt and broken empire.
January 7, 2026
I really enjoyed this book! Nick Holmes has once again proven that he’s one of the most engaging historical storytellers of our time. Justinian’s Empire is not just a dry recounting of facts; it’s a vivid, compelling narrative that brings to life one of the most fascinating and polarizing reigns in history.
Holmes captures both the grandeur and the contradictions of Justinian’s rule. On the one hand, Justinian rebuilt and expanded the Eastern Roman Empire in spectacular ways> militarily, architecturally (the Hagia Sophia!) and legally (the Corpus Juris Civilis). On the other hand, the empire came dangerously close to breaking under the weight of his ambitions. Holmes doesn’t shy away from showing how many of the emperor’s bold moves planted the seeds of future instability and he makes a convincing case for how Justinian’s legacy shaped the challenges his successors faced.
What I appreciated most was Holmes’ ability to present different historical theories with clarity and accessibility. He doesn’t just explain what happened, he explores why it may have happened, weighing various perspectives and offering his own thoughtful interpretations. It’s history written with both depth and energy.
This series has been a real gem for anyone interested in Late Antiquity. I’m eagerly looking forward to the final book and I sincerely hope Holmes takes on a new subject soon, his talent is not to be missed.
Holmes captures both the grandeur and the contradictions of Justinian’s rule. On the one hand, Justinian rebuilt and expanded the Eastern Roman Empire in spectacular ways> militarily, architecturally (the Hagia Sophia!) and legally (the Corpus Juris Civilis). On the other hand, the empire came dangerously close to breaking under the weight of his ambitions. Holmes doesn’t shy away from showing how many of the emperor’s bold moves planted the seeds of future instability and he makes a convincing case for how Justinian’s legacy shaped the challenges his successors faced.
What I appreciated most was Holmes’ ability to present different historical theories with clarity and accessibility. He doesn’t just explain what happened, he explores why it may have happened, weighing various perspectives and offering his own thoughtful interpretations. It’s history written with both depth and energy.
This series has been a real gem for anyone interested in Late Antiquity. I’m eagerly looking forward to the final book and I sincerely hope Holmes takes on a new subject soon, his talent is not to be missed.
March 28, 2026
Justinian's Empire – Nick Holmes
An enjoyable and easy read. This is one where the pages seem to fly by. It's a good overview of this period and one that is accessible to all. However, it's also somewhat lacking in extra detail, such as what John Julius Norwich or Haldon would have included. It's obvious that Holmes knows far more than he is allowing on the page and I'd much prefer the director's extended cut rather than what is an abbreviated version of the story. It's still good and I'll buy the later books in the series, especially the ones that deal with the age of Nicephorus Phocas, but I'd prefer Holmes to flesh them out more.
An enjoyable and easy read. This is one where the pages seem to fly by. It's a good overview of this period and one that is accessible to all. However, it's also somewhat lacking in extra detail, such as what John Julius Norwich or Haldon would have included. It's obvious that Holmes knows far more than he is allowing on the page and I'd much prefer the director's extended cut rather than what is an abbreviated version of the story. It's still good and I'll buy the later books in the series, especially the ones that deal with the age of Nicephorus Phocas, but I'd prefer Holmes to flesh them out more.
October 30, 2025
The overall opinion on justinians reign was negative, however to reign for as long as he did ,beset by enemies on all sides from within and outside the empire was impressive. He cemented his legacy with the great building works in Constantinople but ultimately ushered in the demise of the empire through appeasement.i can't help seeing similarity with chamberlains appeasement of Hitler, a great empire overstretched and not ready for war...
I wish we knew more.
I wish we knew more.
March 16, 2026
Interesting narrative history
This is a great narrative history of the period leading up to and including Justinian’s reign. It’s an easy read, giving you facts and background for the events without getting bogged down in the minutiae that slow the pace of the story.
I recommend it.
This is a great narrative history of the period leading up to and including Justinian’s reign. It’s an easy read, giving you facts and background for the events without getting bogged down in the minutiae that slow the pace of the story.
I recommend it.
December 13, 2024
Overall I am quite enjoying this series and this installment was definitely better than the Attila one - energetic and page turning, reads like a novel but is grounded in research and the author doesn't shy about offering his interpretations and the reasons for such.
December 28, 2025
Fills in a lacuna in my knowledge of the early Byzantine Empire and the lost opportunity of restoring the Roman Empire in the West. This is a chapter of history that should get a little more attention because it was pivotal in both the East and the West's future development.
November 16, 2025
A Great Read
The Book is a great insight into the Eastern Roman Empire during the mid 500's, explaining the reasons for it's zenith and road towards it's eventual decline.
The Book is a great insight into the Eastern Roman Empire during the mid 500's, explaining the reasons for it's zenith and road towards it's eventual decline.
March 10, 2026
great book, although I think some eastern Roman historians might disagree with the source material used.
February 28, 2026
Good, if uninspiring, account of the reign of Justinian, and what came before and after.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews