Editing Lest Darkness Fall (section)

== Plot ==
American [[archaeology|classical archaeologist]] Martin Padway is visiting the [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]] in Rome in 1938. A thunderstorm arrives, lightning cracks, and he finds himself transported to Rome in 535 AD. The [[Italian Peninsula]] is under the rule of the [[Ostrogothic Kingdom|Kingdom of the Ostrogoths]]. The novel depicts their rule as a relatively [[benevolent despotism]], allowing freedom of religion and maintaining the urban Roman society they had conquered, though slavery is common and [[torture]] the normal method of interrogation.

In the real timeline, the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] or Eastern Roman Empire temporarily expanded westwards, embarking on what came to be known as the [[Gothic War (535–554)]]. They overthrew the Ostrogoths in Italy and the [[Vandals]] in [[North Africa]], but this war devastated the Italian urbanized society that required the support of intensive agriculture and Italy was severely depopulated: its population is estimated to have decreased from 7,000,000 to 2,500,000. The great cities of Roman times were abandoned and the Byzantines never fully consolidated their rule over Italy, which faced further invasions by the [[Lombards]]; Italy fell into a long period of decline. Some historians consider this the true beginning of the [[Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Ages]] in Italy.  The city of Rome was besieged three times and many of its inhabitants did not survive the war. Padway, finding himself in this Rome and knowing what the near future holds, must act not only to preserve the future of civilization, but to improve his personal chances of survival.

Padway initially wonders whether he is dreaming or delusional, but he quickly accepts his fate. As an archaeologist, he has enough understanding of various devices used before his time, but after the 6th century, to be able to reproduce them by the means available. He can speak both modern Italian and [[Classical Latin]], and quickly learns enough [[Vulgar Latin]] to communicate effectively. Most crucially, Padway has read with great attention the book of the historian [[Procopius]], who described the very war at whose outset Padway finds himself. He recalls the book in great detail, down to details of the time and route of the various armies' moves and their tactical and strategic considerations, as well as the convoluted and violent power struggles of the various contenders for the Gothic Kingship. Thus Padway, in effect, knows the direct, immediate future of the country where he lives and of some individual people whom he meets (at least, until he acts in a way that changes that future). In addition to this specialized and uniquely useful knowledge of the current war, Padway has taken a general interest in military history, which he is eventually able to put to very practical purposes.

Padway's first idea is to make a copper [[still]] and sell [[brandy]] for a living. He persuades a banker, Thomasus the [[Assyrian people|Syrian]], to lend him [[seed money]] to start his endeavor.  He teaches his and Thomasus's clerks [[Arabic numerals]] and [[double entry bookkeeping]]. He eventually develops a [[printing press]], issues a newspaper, and builds a crude [[semaphore line|semaphore]] [[telegraph]] system utilizing small telescopes. However, he fails to produce a mechanical [[clock]], and temporarily halts his experiments attempting to reinvent [[gunpowder]] and [[cannon]]s. He becomes increasingly involved in the politics of the state as Italy is invaded by the Byzantines and also threatened from the north.

Padway rescues the recently deposed king [[Theodahad|Thiudahad]] and becomes his [[quaestor]]. He uses the king's support to gather forces to defeat the formidable Byzantine general [[Belisarius]].  He manages to surprise Belisarius with tactics never used in the ancient world.  Then, deceiving the [[Dalmatia]]n army, Padway reinstates the senile Thiudahad and imprisons King [[Witiges|Wittigis]] as a hostage. In 537, when Wittigis is killed and Thiudahad descends into madness, Padway has a protégé of his, [[Uraias|Urias]], married to [[Matasuntha|Mathaswentha]] and crowned king of the Ostrogoths. He tricks [[Justinian I]] into releasing Belisarius from his oath of allegiance and quickly enlists the military genius to command an army against the [[Franks]].

The landing of a Byzantine army at [[Vibo Valentia|Vibo]], led by [[John (nephew of Vitalian)|Bloody John]], and a rebellion, led by Thiudahad's son, threaten the Ostrogothic kingdom and its army is destroyed at [[Crati|Crathis]] Valley. Padway assembles a new force, spreads an "emancipation proclamation" to the Italian [[serf]]s and recalls Belisarius after his defeat of the Franks. The armies clash near [[Calatia]] and then [[Benevento]]. Despite the lack of discipline of his Gothic forces, some simple tactical tricks and the nick-of-time arrival of Belisarius secure Padway's victory.

At the end of the novel, Padway has stabilized the Italo-Gothic kingdom, introduced a constitution, arranged the end of [[serfdom]], liberated the [[Burgundians]], and is having boats built for an [[Atlantic]] expedition to acquire [[tobacco]]. The king of the [[Visigoths]] has appointed Urias as his heir, reunifying the Goths. Ultimately, due to Padway's actions, Europe will not experience what [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment thinkers]] retrospectively named the [[Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Ages]]: "darkness will not fall".