The author discusses how the Roman Empire, an empire without a serious rival, rotted from within, its rulers and institutions putting short-term ambition and personal survival over the wider good of the state.

Crisis? The third century : The kingdom of gold. The secret of empire. Imperial women. King of kings. Barbarians. The queen and the 'necessary' emperor. Crisis -- Recovery? The fourth century : The four: Diocletian and the tetrarchy. The Christian, Rivals. Enemies. The pagan. Goths. East and west -- Fall? The fifth and sixth centuries : Barbarians and Romans: generals and rebels. The sister and the eternal city. The Hun. Sunset on an outpost of empire. Emperors, kings and warlords. West and east. Rise and fall.