Adrian Murdoch

Subtitle promises a broader study than the book actually delivers.

By narrating the story of end of the Western Empire rather than promulgating a thesis about its decline, Murdoch is able to disentangle the murky history of Italy in the 5th century. It's an excellent resource for anyone trying to understand this fascinating period. Romulus Augustulus only merits a few paragraphs, but that's all that remains of him.

Good bio of the short-reigned emperor who tried to revive paganism which avoids the trap of making him an Enlightenment poster boy and attempts to see him in his own terms. Some annoying clusters of typos towards the end, and it could have done with some maps and a family tree.

Excellent investigation of the disaster that befell Varus and the 17th, 18th, and 19th legions in Germany 9 A.D.