'… the strength of this book is, in my opinion, that of being able to present itself as an opening. … it offers a new push to a new impetus to an early medieval Rome that was always open.' Chiara Croci, Byzantine Review
'Through the lens of material culture and his unmatched knowledge of it, Osborne offers the reader an unusual overview of the history of Rome in the ninth century … in this book Osborne has distilled a lifetime dedication to the art and architecture of early medieval Rome, offering readers a fresh look at the monuments, their legacy, and old historiographical questions through a careful analysis of recent interpretations and an incomparable knowledge of evidence and sources.' Francesca Dell'Acqua, Speculum