This course is designed as an introduction to the history of the later Roman Empire, both East and West, between the third and the sixth centuries. The first two lectures of each section examine major themes from the period. The third lecture is devoted to a case-study, examining an important topic, source, or group of sources, in some detail. The intention is to balance lectures conveying content with case-studies which provide a more sensory feel for the flavour and distinctiveness of the past. These case-studies will concentrate on allowing you to hear the voices of those who lived through the events described, or to see the artefacts which they produced. You are required to read selections from primary sources each week, but where the primary sources might be difficult to access, brief secondary readings have been assigned instead or as well. These readings expose you to a wide variety of ancient sources, including histories, literary works, art, archaeology and legal texts. The lectures guide you in how to use these sources and to think about the challenges and problems they pose to historians.