Studying the period of European history, 300-900 AD, this comprehensive textbook is the first to combine the last twenty-five years of research in an accessible manner for undergraduate students. It is unique in combining an account of the historical background of the period with discussion of the social, economic, cultural and political structures of the societies within it. This book contains: chapter summaries and chronologies; key topic essays discussing archaeological or documentary evidence; supporting illustrations from archaeological and historical finds; and, bibliographical essays which discuss available sources and further reading, introducing teachers and students to specialist literature a comprehensive index. Key topics discussed are: why the Roman Empire broke down so irrevocably in western Europe; how it came to be replaced by radically different political systems; why the city-based state structure of antiquity was replaced; how and why the division between civilians and the military broke down the conversion of western Europe to Christianity and the establishment of the church as the central social institution; and, what made western Europe's experience so distinctive in this period. With its synthesis and interpretations of otherwise unavailable primary research, this text is ideal for students of late antique or early medieval history and provides researchers and postgraduate students with an invaluable source of information.