The Rise of Western Christendom (2nd Edition). Peter Brown

Chapter 19 “To Rule the Christian People”: Charlemagne. This chapter offers a good overview of Charlemagne’s reign and the various reforms in Christianity, education, and language he implemented, also the reasons for them. Peter Brown also raises the question of whether these sets of changes instigated by Charlemagne were merely reforms or a Carolingian Renaissance as some scholars argue. In which he argues they were reforms.

The Later Roman Empire A.D. 284-430. By Averil Cameron.

Chapter 6 covers the reign of Julian ^AD 361-^AD 363 who was the only pagan Emperor of the fourth century. This chapter discusses Julian’s success as a general, his attempt to revive the pagan religion in the Roman Empire, the banning of Christians from teaching in ^AD 362, and his final demise in battle against the Persian army.