Immediately following the publication of Peter Brown's book The World of Late Antiquity (1972), the field of late antique studies began to blossom in a number of new directions. First and foremost, the Gibbonian model of 'Decline and Fall' in the late Roman world was challenged on many fronts, not least through archaeology and cultural studies, both of which were developing as academic disciplines. In light of this new research, it became clear how vibrant the period of Late Antiquity was on its own terms. While debates over the 'end of the ancient world' continue to thrive today, the scope of interest in Late Antiquity (in all its aspects) has grown dramatically. Roughly speaking, Late Antiquity extends from the accession of the Christian emperor Constantine to the rise of Muhammad and early Islam (ca. 300-700 AD). There is currently no Handbook-style overview of this crucial period, which could bring the vitality of Late Antiquity to a wider scholarly audience. This volume will take account of the scholarship published in the last thirty years and provide a foundational synthesis for students of Late Antiquity. More generally, it will offer to those outside the field a much needed introduction to the contours of the period and the scholarly debates as they continue to develop. In keeping with the evolution of the discipline, it will offer a view of the vitality of Late Antiquity on the ground, through social history and archaeology as well as through cultural, religious, and intellectual history. Most importantly, it will point towards new avenues for research while establishing a standard account of the period. However, the Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity will not seek to replicate the Cambridge Ancient History (e.g., vols. 13 & 14), which follows a rigidly chronological framework. Instead, the Handbook will be thematic in orientation and offer chapters that excel in analysis as much as comprehensiveness. The structure of the volume is unusual, wide-ranging, and addresses issues which are not usually dealt with up front--historical methodologies, for example, comparative state formation, new methods in social history, as well as the standard themes of the late ancient world regional and central lands, regional culture, religious politics and cultures, women, the family and so forth. The proposed volume will take a much deeper and more analytical look at a far wider range of really key subjects [than Harvard's Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World]. These are two major strengths of the proposal. In addition, I would point to the range of expertise and the names of contributors--Johnson has managed to bring together a pretty exciting combination of older and younger, well-established and less well-established scholars, all of whom have something interesting to say, and not always from a traditional perspective, on their topics. I would go ahead with this book, more or less in the form presented in the proposal. I would certainly purchase it, and I think a considerable number of scholars in the field, quite apart from libraries, would want a copy.--John Haldon, Professor of Byzantine History, Princeton University The book is well structured and comprehensive in its coverage of the most important aspects of Late Antiquity. I am especially pleased to see that 'Intellectual and Artistic Cultures' are given pride of place rather than being treated as an afterthought. 'Reception and Interpretation' promises to present truly innovative work on the reception of Late Antiquity in later historical periods inside and outside the European tradition. By focusing on themes, rather than chronological development, the volume will further contribute to carving out Late Antiquity as a cohesive historical period in its own right. The proposed contributors are the finest scholars in the field, and the editor himself has considerable experience in successfully seeing volumes through the publication process.--Claudia Rapp, Professor of History, UCLA