Book I. Introduction: 1. Christianity and paganism; 2. Influence of Christianity on society; 3. Elements of disintegration in the Roman empire; 4. The administration of the empire; 5. Constantinople; Book II. The House of Theodosius: 1. Rufinus and Eutropius; 2. The Germans in the East; 3. John Chrysostom; 4. Stilicho and Alaric; 5. Theodosius II and Marcian; 6. Beginnings of the dismemberment of the empire; 7. Invasions of the Huns; 8. The patrician Aetius; 9. The church in the fifth century; 10. Life and manners in the fifth century; 11. A glimpse of Hun life; Book III. The House of Leo the Great: 1. Leo I; 2. Ricimer the Patrician; 3. Zeno; 4. The Ostrogoths in Illyricum and Thrace; 5. Odovacar the Patrician and Theodoric the Patrician; 6. Anastasius I; 7. The Persian war; 8. Greek literature of the fifth century; Book IV, Part I. The House of Justin: 1. The reign of Justin I and the earlier years of Justinian's reign; 2. Justinian and Theodora; 3. The legal works of Justinian; 4. First Persian war (528-532 AD); 5. The reconquest of Africa and Italy; 6. The great plague; 7. The final conquest of Italy and the conquest of south-eastern Spain; 8 Second Persian war (540-545 AD); 9. The Lazic war (549-556 AD); 10 The later years of Justinian's reign.