Judith Herrin’s
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe (2020) is one of six titles shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize, which honors the best historical non-fiction books from the past year. Awarded annually by the Wolfson Foundation, it is the United Kingdom’s most prestigious history prize, recognizing and celebrating books “which combine excellence in research with readability.” The winner of the 2021 Prize will be announced on June 9
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About the Book
At the end of the fourth century, as the power of Rome faded and Constantinople became the seat of empire, a new capital city was rising in the West. Here, in Ravenna on the coast of Italy, Arian Goths and Catholic Romans competed to produce an unrivaled concentration of buildings and astonishing mosaics. For three centuries, the city attracted scholars, lawyers, craftsmen, and religious luminaries, becoming a true cultural and political capital. Bringing this extraordinary history marvelously to life, J