La caduta di Roma: «fine della civiltà» o fine del tardoantico? Una discussione con Bryan Ward-Perkins

A discussion with Bryan Ward-Perkins
This is the second part of a two-part forum on Bryan Ward Perkins’ The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilisation (Oxford-New York 2005). W.-P. addressed the great theme of end of the ancient world and the transition to the Middle Ages with the objective of challenging the categories that have prevailed among scholars in the last few decades – particularly that of «late antiquity» – and the way in which an era of Western history has been re-interpreted as one of continuity, rather than sharp break, and of compatibility and osmosis, rather than conflict, between cultures. The first text by Luigi Canetti explains why a discussion is needed and compares the «neo-orthodox» positions of late antiquists with W.-P.’s thesis. The second and third texts, by Andrea Augenti and Enrico Zanini respectively, offer the crucial perspective of archaeologists. The fourth text, by Alba Maria Orselli, represents the equally crucial point of view of religious historians. Zanini’s and Orselli’s essays, as well as a reply by Ward-Perkins himself.