With the instincts of a true connoisseur, Ernest Wolf built a remarkably comprehensive collection of Roman, Byzantine, and early Medieval glasswork that is published here for the first time. Together these objects trace the formation of the great Roman glass industry and follow its development through the early Middle Ages. Written in clear, non-technical language, and readily accessible to the non-specialist, Roman, Byzantine and Early Medieval Glass consists of five chapters--arranged in loose chronological order--that investigate the art history and cultural context of 235 glass vessels and objects. The emphasis is on the relationship between objects made in the western part of the Roman Empire, focusing on Italy and the northwestern provinces, and in the Eastern Mediterranean, focusing on Syrio-Palestinian workshops. An extensive glossary presents the how, when, and where of the most salient characteristics of vessels blown in different areas of the Roman and Byzantine empires. Sumptuously illustrated with color photographs and drawings, this animated text makes for that rare publication: an essential scholarly text that can hold its own on a coffee table.