Ruling the later Roman Empire /

Kelly (Corpus Christi College, Univ. of Cambridge) has written a polished work on the governing of the later Roman Empire, but, in truth, the book is better titled Ruling Justinian's Empire. The first third of the book deals with the career and arcane writings of John Lydus, a senior bureaucrat of Justinian (527-565). Kelly presents Lydus as the epitome of a late Roman mandarin, a master of patronage as well as of the specialized language and obscure rules of administration. In the last two-thirds, the author traces the exercise of bureaucratic power from the early Roman Empire. The discussion is more descriptive than analytical, and Kelly's generalized picture of imperial institutions does not take into account the pressures that drove the growth of imperial government. However, he must be commended for presenting this vision with a clarity seldom attained in dealing with this area. This is the best account in English of Lydus, an important figure, and the book could be recommended on this ground alone. But it is also the best start for students and scholars on this obscure and difficult topic. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. K. W. Harl Tulane University