Volume II of Hartmann Grisar's History of Rome and the Popes in the Middle Ages provides a detailed examination of the Papacy from Pope Leo the Great to Vigilius, focusing on the tumultuous period of Gothic and Byzantine domination. It covers the fight against heresies, the decline of Roman art and architecture, and the complex relationship between the Church and the Byzantine Empire. This volume II serves as a comprehensive overview of how the papacy maintained its influence during a time of significant transition and instability in Italy, heavily highlighting the separation of the Church's spiritual mandate from the temporal power of the State.