Bryan Ward-Perkins is an archaeologist and historian specializing in the later Roman Empire and early Middle Ages. His work focuses on the transitional period between these two eras, an area of study often referred to as Late Antiquity. He critically examines the societal collapse of Roman civilization and the subsequent emergence of new social structures in the early medieval world. Ward-Perkins is particularly interested in the material culture and economic forces that underpinned these profound historical shifts, offering a nuanced perspective on this tumultuous epoch.
This book covers the increasingly important 'routes' sector of the tourism industry. It reviews how routes are created, their effects on tourism businesses, local populations and other stakeholders, and the critical role of both communities and those who provide strategic direction and funding. It also includes contemporary examples and cases.
The dominant view is that the 'fall of Rome' was a largely peaceful transition to Germanic rule, and the start of a positive cultural transformation. Encouraging the readers to think again by reclaiming the drama and violence of Rome's fall, this book examines how and why successive generations have understood this period differently.