The world that had been Rome -- The formation of post-Roman society -- The Romano-Germanic kingdoms : the era of Theoderic and Clovis -- The view from the East : crisis, survival, and renewal -- Byzantium, the Balkans, and the West : the late sixth century -- Religion and society in the age of Gregory the Great -- Heraclius, Persia, and holy war -- The age of division -- The princes of the western nations