Roman library. 19th-century artwork of a library of the Late Roman Empire, after Garruca. This period in the history of the Roman Empire lasted from around 250-450 AD. During this time, the Western Empire, after a period of peace and tranquility, was over-run by Germanic invaders. The Eastern Empire flourished, eventually becoming the Byzantine Empire which remained the major cultural influence in Europe. It was during this period that the codex (bound sheets of paper or vellum) replaced manuscripts and scrolls, giving rise to the book in its modern form. Artwork from 'Histoire des Romains' (Victor Duruy, 1883).