The writing of history

Book synopsis: This volume of specially commissioned essays takes as its theme the legacy of Rome in Carolingian culture in eighth- and ninth-century Europe. No such comprehensive survey of this kind exists in any language. The book is made the more unusual by departing from the customary stress on the concept of renewal to emphasise the enormous creativity and inventiveness of the Franks in every aspect of their intellectual and cultural life. Carolingian culture provided the bedrock for the subsequent development of medieval European culture, and this is demonstrated amply by essays which are planned as introductions to the study of each subject and which also incorporate the author's specialist new research, on the 'Carolingian Renaissance', political theory, the teaching of grammar, Latin and German literature, thought, the writing of history, script and book production, art, and music. A comprehensive study of all the major aspects of intellectual and cultural life under the Carolingians Edited by a scholar of major international reputation whose previous publications have all become standard works Covers a very wide range of topics, including music, art, philosophy and book productio