The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire V

This volume centres on the sixth-century Eastern empire under Justinian. Gibbon recounts the Nika riot, the reconquest of Africa and Italy by Belisarius and Narses, the codification of Roman law, the building of Hagia Sophia, plague, and wars with Persia. Theodora, generals, lawyers, and theologians appear beside the emperor. The narrative presents a last attempt to restore a Mediterranean Roman state and the costs of that attempt. It is a history of one reign's wars and legislation, not a handbook of the Digest.

Bound in dark red-brown buckram decorated in gold. Map endleaves. Pale yellow-brown slipcase.