A critical selection of research articles previously published. Articles published in languages other than English have been translated.

Includes bibliographical references (pages xxxix-lxviii) and index.

Explosion of late antiquity / Andrea Giardina -- The other transition: from the ancient world to feudalism / Chris Wickham -- The Nika Riot: a reappraisal / Geoffrey Greatrex -- The Justinianic plague revisited / Dionysios Stathakopoulos -- The origins of the manorial economy: new insights from late antiquity / Peter Sarris -- Ruling the late Roman and early Byzantine city: a continuous history / Mark Whittow -- Syria in transition, AD 55-750: an archaeological approach / Clive Foss -- Recruitment in Roman armies from Justinian to Heraclius (ca. 565-615) / Michael Whitby -- Heraclius' Persian campaigns and the revival of the East Roman empire, 622-630 / James Howard-Johnston -- John Moschus and his friend Sophronius the sophist / Henry Chadwick -- Holy images and likeness / Gilbert Dagron.