The conclusion to a rigorous study of the literary, sculptural, pictorial and archaeological evidence for Roman military clothing, covering the last days of the Western Empire and the Eastern, in the 5th to 7th centuries.

The evidence from this enormously colourful period – when Germanic and Persian styles, first introduced by mercenaries, were widely adopted by Roman armies – is particularly rich. The text is illustrated with many photographs of rare textile finds, and mosaic artwork; with careful drawings of other figurative sources; and with Graham Sumner’s meticulous and dazzling colour reconstructions.