In the Shadow of the Sword: The Battle for Global Empire and the End of the Ancient World
Tom Holland in conversation with Michael Ryan. In the Shadow of the Sword explores how a succession of great empires came to identify themselves with a new and revolutionary understanding of the divine. It is a story vivid with drama, horror and startling achievement, and features many of the most remarkable rulers ever seen. The book is also a dazzlingly colourful journey into the world of late antiquity and every bit as thrilling a narrative history as Holland’s previous works which include the prize-winning Rubicon; the triumph and tragedy of the Roman Republic. Tom Holland has the rare gift of making deep scholarship accessible and exciting. Michael Ryan is a former Director of the Chester Beatty Library.
Recorded at Dublin Castle, Printworks venue on 27th September 2013.