A couple of months ago, I read an article in Time magazine about what a marvelous host of books on ancient history have come out in 2006, and it mentioned a book titled The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization by an Oxford professor at Trinity College named Bryan Ward-Perkins. I ordered it from Amazon but only received it last weekend (I gather it's quite popular). I ended up reading one of the best and most provocative looks at the Decline of the West, and the rise of the German and gothic tribes, that I've ever read. I was so excited, I tracked down Professor Ward-Perkins email and asked him for some reading lists for those who want to learn more about the 4th-6th European centuries. He very kindly replied, and sent me three lol.

So of course, I had to ask him if he will be a Symposion guest, and he said yes!

Ward-Perkins' main theses is that it has become increasingly fashionably in academia in the past 20 years or so, to discuss the decline of the Roman Empire in the west, and the influx of Germania and Gothic tribes that would replace it, as if there was no pain involved on either side. Ward-Perkins manages to be understanding to both sides of this ever-controversial question while coming up with some tough truths about the ends of civilizations and the violence and pain, the 'fire and sword,' that are endemic to such great changes. As he notes, civilizations CAN die, and none of us should be complacent that modern ones will last forever, any more than the Romans understood the Germans, or vice-versa.

What we hope is to invite both Rome and Germania (as the subject involves them both intimately!) to co-sponsor this Symposion Event in February, 2007. So stay tuned for more!

Here is the Amazon.com link:

The Decline of Rome and the End of Civilization