by Emma Southon
First published 2025
The Western Roman Empire has crumbled by the fifth century's end. Germanic kingdoms carve up former Roman territories while the Catholic Church seizes political control from the vanished imperial administration. This transformation reshapes every aspect of society. Laws change. Political structures shift. Cultural traditions clash and merge. At the center of this upheaval stands the family unit, where battles over morality, legal authority, and inherited customs play out in intimate detail. Southon examines these domestic struggles to reveal how Roman legal traditions intersected with emerging Christian doctrine and political authority. The book traces how families became battlegrounds where competing systems of law, faith, and governance fought for dominance. Through detailed analysis of family structures, marriage customs, and inheritance practices, the work demonstrates the complex ways Roman civilization's legal heritage merged with Christian moral teachings and Germanic tribal customs to create medieval European culture.
Genres: history, sociology, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-clash, domestic-struggles
Setting: Roman Empire, Europe
Period: 5th Century
254 pages · Hardcover · Routledge