Paul the Deacon

The eighth century chronicler Paul the Deacon was a Benedictine monk, scribe and chief historian of the Lombards, a Germanic people that conquered most of the Italian Peninsula in the sixth century. His ‘Historia Langobardorum’ is a seminal work of history, offering the definitive, foundational narrative of the Lombards, whose invasion of Italy fundamentally shattered the Mediterranean unity of the Roman Empire and accelerated the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages. Paul’s text acts as a vital bridge between the classical Roman world and the rising medieval European orders, offering a unique “insider” perspective from a Lombard patriot and scholar, who witnessed first hand the conquest of his people by Charlemagne. Delphi’s Medieval Library provides eReaders with rare and precious works of the Middle Ages, with noted English translations and the original texts. This eBook presents the complete extant text of Paul’s ‘The History of the Lombards’, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)