Defending Rome: The Masters of the Soldiers

About the Book

For its last eighty years, the Western Roman Empire was ruled by emperors who were unable to provide the leadership demanded by the crisis the Empire faced throughout this period. Power was exercised instead by the commanders of the Western armies, the magisteri militum or Masters of the Soldiers, four of whom stood out – Stilicho, Constantius, Aetius and Ricimer. Challenged by barbarian invasions, constantly diminishing resources, and indifference and sometimes hostility from the imperial court, the Senate and the Roman people, these men prolonged the existence of the Empire in the West beyond what would otherwise have been its natural span. This book tells the story of the collapse of the Western Empire, as seen through the lives of these individuals, a collapse that ended more than political and military structures, that encompassed the end of an ancient pagan culture and the inception of the age of Christianity.

About the Author

Julian Reynolds is a former defence intelligence analyst, university tutor and high school teacher. He lives in Canberra, Australia, with his wife, Kerry, and cat, Su Chi. This book is his first and reflects his life-long love of history, of Roman history in particular, and of the issues involved in the decline and fall of states. It also represents his determination, following retirement, to ensure that his brain remains active after a life of intellectually challenging work.