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Fall of the Roman Empire Book #6
The Inheritors of Rome: The Rise of Europe and Islam
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER ROME FELL?
In The Inheritors of Rome, Nick Holmes concludes his series on the Fall of the Roman Empire with a bold and thought-provoking examination of the world that followed the fall.
From the collapse of Roman civilization to the rise of Charlemagne’s empire, from the explosive expansion of early Islam to the resilience of Byzantium, and from the devastation of the Vikings to the birth of medieval Europe, he paints a sweeping, interconnected portrait of a world in upheaval.
Holmes sheds new light on forgotten turning points, revealing how environmental pressures, religious conflict, economic dislocation and cultural reinvention laid the foundations for modern Europe and Islam.
Challenging traditional narratives and rich with fresh insight, The Inheritors of Rome is essential reading for anyone curious about how catastrophe gave rise to new civilizations—and how the echoes of that transformation still shape our world today.
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
In The Inheritors of Rome, Nick Holmes concludes his series on the Fall of the Roman Empire with a bold and thought-provoking examination of the world that followed the fall.
From the collapse of Roman civilization to the rise of Charlemagne’s empire, from the explosive expansion of early Islam to the resilience of Byzantium, and from the devastation of the Vikings to the birth of medieval Europe, he paints a sweeping, interconnected portrait of a world in upheaval.
Holmes sheds new light on forgotten turning points, revealing how environmental pressures, religious conflict, economic dislocation and cultural reinvention laid the foundations for modern Europe and Islam.
Challenging traditional narratives and rich with fresh insight, The Inheritors of Rome is essential reading for anyone curious about how catastrophe gave rise to new civilizations—and how the echoes of that transformation still shape our world today.
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
- GenresHistory
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2026
About the author
Nick Holmes
8 books103 followersNick Holmes is a British author, podcaster and historian. Born in August, 1963, he was educated at Abingdon School and at St John's College Cambridge, where he was awarded an Exhibition for academic success in his History Tripos Exams. He also won a travel scholarship to follow the route of the First Crusade through Asia Minor in the Summer Vacation. He went on to study history at a postgraduate level at the London School of Economics.
He left academia in 1986, and spent the next three decades working in banking and stockbroking. He worked for a succession of leading banks, including Barclays, Citibank, HSBC, Lehman Brothers and Nomura. His last position was as a Managing Director at the French bank, Société Générale. During his career, he won numerous awards as a leading stockmarket commentator, regularly voted among the top analysts in the City in the Extel and Institutional Investor surveys.
In 2021, he left the City to write full-time. He had already published a book about the Byzantine Empire's involvement with the First Crusade called 'The Byzantine World War' (Matador, 2019), which was well received. Frustrated with mainstream publishing, he set up his own publishing company in 2021, called Puttenham Press. From 2022 to 2026, he used this to publish his first series of six books, providing the most detailed account of the fall of the Roman Empire since Edward Gibbon's 'History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' written in the eighteenth century. This series has sold over 100,000 copies and is regularly listed as a bestseller in Roman, Byzantine and related categories on Amazon.
Since 2019, he has podcasted regularly on subjects related to his books. His first podcast was called 'Byzantium and the Crusades,' and contained content relevant to his first book. His second and current podcast is called "Echoes of Empires." Originally named "The Fall of the Roman Empire," it has been dowloaded over a million times and is listed by Listen Notes among the top 1.5% most popular podcasts in the world. Its subject range now extends beyond the Roman Empire to include the Dark Ages, the rise of Islam and the Crusades.
Nick Holmes is currently working on a new series of books focused on the Crusades from a global perspective, especially from the Byzantine, Islamic and Mongol angles. He is also working on his first work of fiction.
To contact Nick Holmes go to his website at www.nickholmesauthor.com
He left academia in 1986, and spent the next three decades working in banking and stockbroking. He worked for a succession of leading banks, including Barclays, Citibank, HSBC, Lehman Brothers and Nomura. His last position was as a Managing Director at the French bank, Société Générale. During his career, he won numerous awards as a leading stockmarket commentator, regularly voted among the top analysts in the City in the Extel and Institutional Investor surveys.
In 2021, he left the City to write full-time. He had already published a book about the Byzantine Empire's involvement with the First Crusade called 'The Byzantine World War' (Matador, 2019), which was well received. Frustrated with mainstream publishing, he set up his own publishing company in 2021, called Puttenham Press. From 2022 to 2026, he used this to publish his first series of six books, providing the most detailed account of the fall of the Roman Empire since Edward Gibbon's 'History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' written in the eighteenth century. This series has sold over 100,000 copies and is regularly listed as a bestseller in Roman, Byzantine and related categories on Amazon.
Since 2019, he has podcasted regularly on subjects related to his books. His first podcast was called 'Byzantium and the Crusades,' and contained content relevant to his first book. His second and current podcast is called "Echoes of Empires." Originally named "The Fall of the Roman Empire," it has been dowloaded over a million times and is listed by Listen Notes among the top 1.5% most popular podcasts in the world. Its subject range now extends beyond the Roman Empire to include the Dark Ages, the rise of Islam and the Crusades.
Nick Holmes is currently working on a new series of books focused on the Crusades from a global perspective, especially from the Byzantine, Islamic and Mongol angles. He is also working on his first work of fiction.
To contact Nick Holmes go to his website at www.nickholmesauthor.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 2, 2026
A relatively short but fitting end to the Fall of the Roman Empire series - covering roughly 700-1000 (though with detours in earlier history) from three perspectives: Byzantines, Islamic caliphate and the West and Charlemagne (Franks and Vikings mostly); next is the Crusader series and I will definitely get and read those as they come since the author writes very well and with lots of energy.
Among the interesting arguments of the book (and there are quite a few more):
While usually Harun al Rashid (of the 1001 Nights fame) in Baghdad and Basil II in Constantinopole are considered the apogee reigns of the respective states, the author puts different spins on both, arguing that the split between the Arab and Persian version of Islam (illustrated by the two sons of Harun al Rashid - one with an arabic mother and one with a persian mother - who fought a brutal civil war) would become unbridgeable after the reign of the famed caliph, while similarly Basil's path to the throne (before taking sole power in his twenties, he was a child emperor with aristocratic generals co-emperors) led to the destruction of the Byzantine military aristocracy - the backbone of the Empire's armies - by Basil's Viking Rus mercenaries who later turned their back on Constantinopole and led to its final decline within 50 years from Basil's death
Among the interesting arguments of the book (and there are quite a few more):
While usually Harun al Rashid (of the 1001 Nights fame) in Baghdad and Basil II in Constantinopole are considered the apogee reigns of the respective states, the author puts different spins on both, arguing that the split between the Arab and Persian version of Islam (illustrated by the two sons of Harun al Rashid - one with an arabic mother and one with a persian mother - who fought a brutal civil war) would become unbridgeable after the reign of the famed caliph, while similarly Basil's path to the throne (before taking sole power in his twenties, he was a child emperor with aristocratic generals co-emperors) led to the destruction of the Byzantine military aristocracy - the backbone of the Empire's armies - by Basil's Viking Rus mercenaries who later turned their back on Constantinopole and led to its final decline within 50 years from Basil's death
July 2, 2026
The final book in the series, I think, struggles more than the other books to create an easy-to-follow narrative of the time period it is covering. Despite this Holmes once again does an incredible job of guiding the reader through a difficult and often poorly understood period of history.
In this book we follow the development of three successors to the Roman Empire, these being Byzantium, Islamic Caliphates and the Holy Roman Empire. In each we see something different that made them unique.
I found the book engaging although I think it was because the author needed to cover so much in a relatively short book it did move very quickly. Once again I like the conclusions presented by the author. I found the book very interesting to read and I'm sorry to leave this series but I will definitely be returning for the new series on the crusades.
In this book we follow the development of three successors to the Roman Empire, these being Byzantium, Islamic Caliphates and the Holy Roman Empire. In each we see something different that made them unique.
I found the book engaging although I think it was because the author needed to cover so much in a relatively short book it did move very quickly. Once again I like the conclusions presented by the author. I found the book very interesting to read and I'm sorry to leave this series but I will definitely be returning for the new series on the crusades.
July 8, 2026
The Inheritors of Rome: The Rise of Europe and Islam provides a compelling conclusion to Nick Holmes' Fall of the Roman Empire series, shifting the focus from collapse to transformation. Rather than treating the fall of Rome as an ending, Holmes demonstrates how it became the catalyst for the emergence of entirely new civilizations that would shape the medieval and modern world.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its broad yet coherent perspective. Holmes skillfully connects events that are often studied separately the rise of Charlemagne, the remarkable expansion of early Islam, the endurance of the Byzantine Empire, Viking incursions, and the gradual formation of medieval Europe into a single, interconnected historical narrative. The result is a much richer understanding of how these developments influenced one another.
I especially appreciated the author's willingness to challenge conventional historical interpretations. By examining environmental pressures, economic disruption, religious transformation, and cultural adaptation alongside political events, Holmes presents history as a complex network of forces rather than a simple succession of rulers and battles.
The writing remains highly accessible despite the ambitious scope of the subject. Complex historical developments are explained with clarity, allowing both dedicated history enthusiasts and general readers to follow the narrative with ease. Holmes has an admirable ability to simplify without oversimplifying.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the book is its emphasis on continuity rather than decline. Instead of portraying the post-Roman centuries as merely a "Dark Age," Holmes reveals them as a period of innovation, adaptation, and the creation of new political, religious, and cultural identities whose influence continues today.
The Inheritors of Rome is an outstanding work of historical synthesis that offers fresh insights into one of the most transformative periods in world history. It serves as both a satisfying conclusion to the series and an excellent standalone exploration of the birth of medieval Europe and the Islamic world.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its broad yet coherent perspective. Holmes skillfully connects events that are often studied separately the rise of Charlemagne, the remarkable expansion of early Islam, the endurance of the Byzantine Empire, Viking incursions, and the gradual formation of medieval Europe into a single, interconnected historical narrative. The result is a much richer understanding of how these developments influenced one another.
I especially appreciated the author's willingness to challenge conventional historical interpretations. By examining environmental pressures, economic disruption, religious transformation, and cultural adaptation alongside political events, Holmes presents history as a complex network of forces rather than a simple succession of rulers and battles.
The writing remains highly accessible despite the ambitious scope of the subject. Complex historical developments are explained with clarity, allowing both dedicated history enthusiasts and general readers to follow the narrative with ease. Holmes has an admirable ability to simplify without oversimplifying.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the book is its emphasis on continuity rather than decline. Instead of portraying the post-Roman centuries as merely a "Dark Age," Holmes reveals them as a period of innovation, adaptation, and the creation of new political, religious, and cultural identities whose influence continues today.
The Inheritors of Rome is an outstanding work of historical synthesis that offers fresh insights into one of the most transformative periods in world history. It serves as both a satisfying conclusion to the series and an excellent standalone exploration of the birth of medieval Europe and the Islamic world.
August 9, 2026
A Masterful Discussion of the Dark Ages
Nick Holmes final book in his series about the gradual collapse of The Roman Empire discusses the major powers following the disintegration of the Roman Empire. They were Byzantine Empire, the Vikings, Islam and the empire created by Charlemagne. All of these successors contained Roman elements but all were unique in other respects. Holmes points out that the Islamic conquests were not motivated by religion. At one point it appeared as though Europe would be overrun by the Islamic conquests. The Isurian emperors of Byzantium prevented further expansion into Europe. Holmes does believe that by the time The Islamic conquests were stopped by Charles Martel they were overextended and may not have made the conquests permanent. The Islamic invasion resulted in a partition of the Mediterranean Sea. Prior to Islam’s existence, it was exclusively a European region.
Holmes writing is filled with information but easy reading. His style is similar to John Julius Norwich and Peter Heather. All three of these authors write informative and interesting books but the readers do not feel as though they are reading a school textbook.
Nick Holmes final book in his series about the gradual collapse of The Roman Empire discusses the major powers following the disintegration of the Roman Empire. They were Byzantine Empire, the Vikings, Islam and the empire created by Charlemagne. All of these successors contained Roman elements but all were unique in other respects. Holmes points out that the Islamic conquests were not motivated by religion. At one point it appeared as though Europe would be overrun by the Islamic conquests. The Isurian emperors of Byzantium prevented further expansion into Europe. Holmes does believe that by the time The Islamic conquests were stopped by Charles Martel they were overextended and may not have made the conquests permanent. The Islamic invasion resulted in a partition of the Mediterranean Sea. Prior to Islam’s existence, it was exclusively a European region.
Holmes writing is filled with information but easy reading. His style is similar to John Julius Norwich and Peter Heather. All three of these authors write informative and interesting books but the readers do not feel as though they are reading a school textbook.
June 28, 2026
The Inheritors of Rome is a fascinating and insightful exploration of the centuries that reshaped Europe, Byzantium, and the Islamic world after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Nick Holmes masterfully connects political upheaval, religious transformation, economic change, and cultural reinvention into a sweeping narrative that challenges conventional views while making complex history accessible to a wide audience.
Overall, it's an engaging read for anyone interested in Roman history, medieval Europe, Islamic history, Byzantine civilization, and the pivotal events that shaped the modern world.
Nick Holmes masterfully connects political upheaval, religious transformation, economic change, and cultural reinvention into a sweeping narrative that challenges conventional views while making complex history accessible to a wide audience.
Overall, it's an engaging read for anyone interested in Roman history, medieval Europe, Islamic history, Byzantine civilization, and the pivotal events that shaped the modern world.
August 22, 2026
Having read many books on the period and civilizations covered in this book, I think this book is a fantastic entry point for anyone interested in studying further. It is well paced and doesn’t get bogged down in depth but still provides enough substance for the reader.
June 29, 2026
This is a remarkable book, limpid, succinct and synoptic. My interest was held (indeed, seized!) by the choice of key events and their presentation as the hierarchy of cause and effect that is history. The wood was not obscured by the trees, nor were trees omitted to achieve over-simplification. When presented with such narrative drive as characterises Nick Holmes' writing, reading is not only effortless but compulsive (helped by short chapters and plain prose). I felt I had enjoyably acquired a good idea of four hundred years of European history for the first time.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews