We all are familiar with the forces that led to the Roman empire’s undoing: barbarian invaders, a new and subversive religion, and a state bloated with excess. This evening, James J. O’Donnell draws on recent discoveries to provide a fresh look at some of the reasons for the Roman Empire’s decline. They tell a somewhat different story: The barbarians turn out to have been true friends of Rome, but the emperors were blinded by ideology and lacked the sense to recognize this. As a result, Rome was bogged down in meaningless wars that bled its coffers, alienated its allies, and finally exposed the Romans to attack by Arabic forces they themselves had trained to fight. This new evidence suggests, perhaps, some interesting points to consider as nations look for ways to co-exist today.

O’Donnell is a historian and provost of Georgetown University. His book The Ruin of the Roman Empire: A New History is available for signing after the lecture.

CODE: 1H0-536