Splendidly incisive essay on the eclipse of classical culture

Review of The World of Late Antiquity by Peter Brown

This is one of those history books that defines the era, setting a standard that is either accepted or opposed by all who follow. Because the end of the classical culture is one of the turning points that most fascinates me, this book was a particular pleasure, at once an over-arching synthesis yet accurate in its evocation of detail.

The book begins at …