The Excellent Empire The Fall of Rome and the Triumph of the Church

includes index and biblioraphy

Introduction 1. The fall of rome as historical paradigm ...........3 I. The decline and fall of the Roman empire 2. The social triumph of the ancient church .............15 3. The triumph of barbarism and religion ..........29 II. The lessons of history 4. History as divine apocalypse .............43 5. The register of human follies ,crimes, and misfortunes .............53 III. The fate of Empire 6. The founding of the christian empire ..............67 7. The inevitable effect of immoderate greatness ..............79 IV. Loss nd gain 8. The terrestrial Glory of an excellent empire ...........93 9. The inestimable gifts of roman civilization ...............104 Notes ........117 Index of names ..........131