Orestes' Gift

Since the 18^th century, the idea of an ‘ancient’ Roman advanced civilisation and its intellectual ‘rebirth’ 1000 years after its ‘fall’ has encouraged the historical imagination to make a strong link between the two eras, and branded the period in between ‘the Middle Ages’ – a strange concept which nevertheless still enjoys wide currency today. In this richly illustrated book, Bernhard Jussen makes clear how little can now be explained by this traditional method of interpreting the past, and the extent to which it is almost obstructing the current need for explanation. In seven chapters, he provides a fresh, well-written and detailed introduction to a revision of the history of Latin Europe.

*A new interpretation of the period hitherto defined as the Middle Ages

*This book revises the definition of 1000 years of history

*Bernhard Jussen questions received wisdom

*Looks at the birth of civil society

*With 50 colour illustrations