The Rome of Pascal I argues that Pascal deployed church construction and relic translation to assert papal authority. Minor copyediting mistakes (for example, 55n46 points to 134–35 for a discussion of the stational liturgy but should be 136–37) and the frequent use of the word “power” appended to some noun (for example, “medieval power politics” p. 3) only distract slightly from this work's particular strength—its examination of the material evidence of early medieval Rome. In addition to numerous archaeological illustrations, Goodson deftly handles an array of early modern antiquarian texts as aids to reconstruct Pascal's ninth-century building projects, which in turn allows the author to argue that the pope drew on a variety of architectural traditions to build his churches in distinction to those who see only a Carolingian “revival” of purely Constantinian architecture.

Goodson also rightly insists that a social explanation of architecture must complement any formal interpretation, which leads her to consider Pascal's innovative relic translations. Though relics were translated from the extramural cemeteries to intramural churches previously, Pascal larded his churches with thousands of relics, an act which broke with Roman strictures against translation and fragmentation. This shift would lead to the dispersal of Roman relics north of the Alps, transforming relations between the pontiff and the Carolingians. Though analyses of architecture occupy more space, the import and impact of Pascal's relic policy more persuasively served the construction of papal authority as the impact of Pascal's buildings outside of Rome remains inconclusive.