The History Book Club discussion

This thread is about the Byzantine Empire.



The Byzantine Empire (or Byzantium) was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the "Roman Empire" (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων, Basileia Rhōmaiōn;[2] Latin: Imperium Romanum) or Romania (Ῥωμανία) to its inhabitants and neighbours, it was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State and maintained Roman state traditions.

Byzantium is today distinguished from ancient Rome proper insofar as it was oriented towards Greek culture, characterised by Christianity rather than Roman polytheism and was predominantly Greek-speaking rather than Latin-speaking.[3]
As the distinction between Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire is largely a modern convention, it is not possible to assign a date of separation; however, important points are the Roman Empire's administrative division into western and eastern halves in 285 by Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305),[4] and Emperor Constantine I's (r. 306–337) decision in 324 to transfer the capital from Nicomedia (in Asia Minor) to Byzantium on the Bosphorus, which became Constantinople, "City of Constantine" (alternatively "New Rome").

The Roman Empire was finally divided in 395 AD after the death of Emperor Theodosius I (r. 379–395), thus this date is also very important if the Byzantine Empire (or Eastern Roman Empire) is looked upon as completely separated from the West. The transition to Byzantine history proper finally begins during the reign of Emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), since Heraclius effectively established a new state after reforming the army and administration by introducing themes and by changing the official language of the Empire from Latin to Greek.

The Byzantine Empire existed for more than a thousand years from its genesis in the 4th century until its final conquest in 1453. During most of its existence, it remained one of the most powerful economic, cultural, and military forces in Europe, despite setbacks and territorial losses, especially during the Roman–Persian and Byzantine–Arab Wars. The Empire recovered during the Macedonian dynasty, rising again to become a preeminent power in the Eastern Mediterranean by the late 10th century, rivaling the Fatimid Caliphate.

After 1071, however, much of Asia Minor, the Empire's heartland, was lost to the Seljuk Turks. The Komnenian restoration regained some ground and briefly reestablished dominance in the 12th century, but following the death of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos (r. 1183–1185) and the end of the Komnenos dynasty in the late 12th century the Empire declined again. The Empire received a mortal blow in 1204 from the Fourth Crusade, when it was dissolved and divided into competing Byzantine Greek and Latin realms.

Despite the eventual recovery of Constantinople and re-establishment of the Empire in 1261, under the Palaiologan emperors, Byzantium remained only one of many rival states in the area for the final 200 years of its existence. However, this period was the most culturally productive time in the Empire.[7] Successive civil wars in the 14th century further sapped the Empire's strength, and most of its remaining territories were lost in the Byzantine–Ottoman Wars, which culminated in the Fall of Constantinople and the conquest of remaining territories by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.

Source: Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantin...

Please feel free to add books, images pertaining to the Byzantine Empire, urls, etc that pertain to this subject area. No self promotion please.

Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization

by Lars Brownworth (no photo)

Synopsis:

In AD 476 the Roman Empire fell–or rather, its western half did. Its eastern half, which would come to be known as the Byzantine Empire, would endure and often flourish for another eleven centuries. Though its capital would move to Constantinople, its citizens referred to themselves as Roman for the entire duration of the empire’s existence. Indeed, so did its neighbors, allies, and enemies: When the Turkish Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople in 1453, he took the title Caesar of Rome, placing himself in a direct line that led back to Augustus.

For far too many otherwise historically savvy people today, the story of the Byzantine civilization is something of a void. Yet for more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, keeping Christianity alive. When literacy all but vanished in the West, Byzantium made primary education available to both sexes. Students debated the merits of Plato and Aristotle and commonly committed the entirety of Homer’s Iliad to memory. Streams of wealth flowed into Constantinople, making possible unprecedented wonders of art and architecture, from fabulous jeweled mosaics and other iconography to the great church known as the Hagia Sophia that was a vision of heaven on earth. The dome of the Great Palace stood nearly two hundred feet high and stretched over four acres, and the city’s population was more than twenty times that of London’s.

From Constantine, who founded his eponymous city in the year 330, to Constantine XI, who valiantly fought the empire’s final battle more than a thousand years later, the emperors who ruled Byzantium enacted a saga of political intrigue and conquest as astonishing as anything in recorded history. Lost to the West is replete with stories of assassination, mass mutilation and execution, sexual scheming, ruthless grasping for power, and clashing armies that soaked battlefields with the blood of slain warriors numbering in the tens of thousands.

Still, it was Byzantium that preserved for us today the great gifts of the classical world. Of the 55,000 ancient Greek texts in existence today, some 40,000 were transmitted to us by Byzantine scribes. And it was the Byzantine Empire that shielded Western Europe from invasion until it was ready to take its own place at the center of the world stage. Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to this empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy.

Here is a nice site from History.com that gives an overview of the Byzantine Empire.

http://www.history.com/topics/byzanti...

And from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a link to some Byzantine Art.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_i...


The Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux, ca. 1324–28
Jean Pucelle (French, active in Paris, ca. 1320–34)
Made in Paris
Grisaille and tempera on vellum

Great adds - on the links you might want to try your hand adding a representative image above the links with a caption.

Bentley wrote: "Great adds - on the links you might want to try your hand adding a representative image above the links with a caption."

I will try to figure out how to do that.

Yes but make sure to always caption the image so that we know who or what you are showing and the relevance. But good progress.

I just finished listening to the audio version of Lost to the West: The forgotten Byzantine Empire that rescued western civilization

by Lars Brownworth (no photo available) and it was entertaining and informative. I did feel, though, that Brownworth overly romanticized the empire by focusing almost exclusively on its "good deeds" (e.g., the preservation of Greco-Roman culture; no small feat, and one that many are very thankful for) and largely ignoring (or at least glossing over) how repressive its government was at times to its ethnically diverse populations.

I have to say that the best short, "popular" treatment of the empire that I've read is A short history of Byzantium

by John Julius Norwich. Wonderfully written but, again, a bit romanticized. Does anyone have any recommendations on more detailed treatments of the empire?

Good adds Charles. Did you read Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire? We found it an interesting read and discussion - we spotlighted that book here. Thematic approach to various Byzantine topics. By the way, I had the distinct pleasure of touring the Hagia Sophia a few months ago and I was in awe of the mosaics and Istanbul in general.

by Judith Herrin

Thanks for this, Bentley, I will definitely have to check that one out. I also visited Turkey (it's been some years and I can't seem to find any of my photos...) and, you are right, the Hagia Sophia is breathtaking.

I was spellbound when I was looking at the mosaics and even outside the church was breathtaking.

Hi Charles,

I found John Julius Norwich's three volumes hard to beat, a masterful account of Byzantium.


by John Julius Norwich

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Charles,

I found John Julius Norwich's three volumes hard to beat, a masterful account of Byzantium.


by [aut..."

Thanks for the add, Aussie Rick! Norwich is a wonderful writer...I will definitely check these out.

Charles a couple of things - John Julius Norwich's volumes are exhaustive but thorough and they are the most complete account but you have to be very dedicated to get through all of them. On audible it would take you a year (smile). Partly joking but a long time.

Secondly, even if you mention an author in passing or in reference to another thread you have to do the citation.

In this case, I have to as well. I find the reply button to be problematic and do not use it as much. It is difficult to add citations until you delete the carryover at the top.

John Julius Norwich

John Julius Norwich also has a shorter history of Byzantium if you are not up to reading his trilogy yet.

A Short History of Byzantium

by John Julius Norwich

Synopsis:

"Norwich is always on the lookout for the small but revealing details. . . . All of this he recounts in a style that consistently entertains."
--The New York Times Book Review

In this magisterial adaptation of his epic three-volume history of Byzantium, John Julius Norwich chronicles the world's longest-lived Christian empire. Beginning with Constantine the Great, who in a.d. 330 made Christianity the religion of his realm and then transferred its capital to the city that would bear his name, Norwich follows the course of eleven centuries of Byzantine statecraft and warfare, politics and theology, manners and art.

In the pages of A Short History of Byzantium we encounter mystics and philosophers, eunuchs and barbarians, and rulers of fantastic erudition, piety, and degeneracy. We enter the life of an empire that could create some of the world's most transcendent religious art and then destroy it in the convulsions of fanaticism. Stylishly written and overflowing with drama, pathos, and wit, here is a matchless account of a lost civilization and its magnificent cultural legacy.

"Strange and fascinating . . . filled with drollery and horror."
--Boston Globe(less)

Here's some more titles:


by Robert Browning

by Thomas F. Mathews

by Colin Wells

by John Haldon

Thanks, Jerome. I haven't read any of those. Sailing from Byzantium: How a Lost Empire Shaped the World sounds especially interesting to me.

by Colin Wells (no photo)

A bit later in history, but a book on the end of the Byzantium Empire.

1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West

by Roger Crowley

Synopsis:

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 signaled a shift in history, and the end of the Byzantium Empire. Roger Crowley's readable and comprehensive account of the battle between Mehmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantine XI, the 57th emperor of Byzantium, illuminates the period in history that was a precursor to the current jihad between the West and the Middle East.

The Byzantine Empire

by Charles William Chadwick Oman

Synopsis:

The Byzantine Empire centered at the city of Constantinople grew from a small Greek colonial village into the capital of the Eastern Roman empire. Ultimately, Byzantium represented what remained of Roman power in late antiquity. Established as the seat of Constantine the Great in 328 AD, the empire grew and matured over the centuries, reaching its pinnacle in the sixth century during the reign of Justinian and his loyal general, Belisarius. In the process of empire building, Byzantium battled the Goths, the Germanic tribes, the Persians, the Lombards, and ultimately the Islamic armies of the Near East. Byzantium remained a buffer against Muslim expansion, and by the time the remnants of the empire and the city of Constantinople were finally conquered by the Ottomans in the fourteenth century, European states to the west were able to resist any further encroachment.

In tracing the empire’s history from its humble beginnings through its ascendancy and final decay, distinguished historian Charles W. C. Oman blends his engaging narrative style with his impeccable command of primary source material. Here, Oman dispels the misconception that the Byzantine court was one plagued by corruption and intrigue—a canard that added “Byzantine” to the English language; instead, Byzantium was one of the most stable governments of late antiquity. Never before reprinted in paperback, The Byzantine Empire is a model of concise popular scholarship.

I'd like to make the point (that I stole from some historian on the radio :) ) that when dealing with Byzantine, please remember one thing: these people considered themselves to be Roman. It often gets overlooked.

R.M.F wrote: "I'd like to make the point (that I stole from some historian on the radio :) ) that when dealing with Byzantine, please remember one thing: these people considered themselves to be Roman. It often ..."

So true. Herrin points this out in her book.

by Judith Herrin

Kathy wrote: "R.M.F wrote: "I'd like to make the point (that I stole from some historian on the radio :) ) that when dealing with Byzantine, please remember one thing: these people considered themselves to be Ro..."

That was the woman on the radio!

We covered that book in this group as a spotlighted selection.

Bentley wrote: "We covered that book in this group as a spotlighted selection."

I got it as a Christmas present a few years ago. Time to dust it off.

I've often wondered the correct way to pronounce Byzantine?

Forgive the crude phonetics, but is it Bye-zantine or Bi-zantine? Or are both equally acceptable, just to be awkward?

Pronounced several different ways.
Here are a few talking dictionary choices:

http://dictionary.reference.com/brows...
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word...
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictio...

Kathy wrote: "Pronounced several different ways.
Here are a few talking dictionary choices:

http://dictionary.reference.com/brows...
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word...
http:/..."

Thank you.

Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire

by Marcus Rautman (no photo)

Synopsis:

Discover how ordinary people lived during the Middle Ages in the eastern Mediterranean in this unparalleled exploration of life in the Byzantine Empire. Learn how the subjects of the Byzantine Empire kept track of time with sundials and water clocks. Witness a typical wedding and all of the traditions followed by the bride, groom, and guests. Find out how the Byzantines kept up their appearance, covering everything from skincare to dental care. Learn the rules of games that children played, and explore everything in the city of Constantinople, from tourist attractions to city administration and defense strategies. Learn about sports entertainment at the Hippodrome as well as theaters and other festivals. Compare city life to that of the country, military, and monastery. Understand Byzantine humor, education system, and musical instruments. Ideal for high school students and undergraduates. Even general readers can explore the world of the Byzantine Empire in this comprehensive study that covers everything from clothing styles to typical city life.

Rautman discusses not only general issues of everyday life in the Byzantine Empire, but also probes into very specific topics. Questions such as Who were some writers during the Byzantine Empire? as well as, How did people brush their teeth? are answered in this extensive study. Topics include Byzantine worldviews, how their society and economy flourished, and how families were structured. Rautman also looks at the city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul), as well as other cities and towns and the countryside. Other topics include life in the military and monastery, artistic life, and education beliefs. Also included are a list of Byzantine rulers, a list of Byzantine and contemporaneous writers, and a glossary. This all-inclusive study is essential to all high school, academic, and public library reference shelves.

Thank Kathy for all of the adds "here and there" - (smile). They are all very good ones.

Byzantine Art

by Robin Cormack (no photo)

Synopsis:

Mostly religious in function, but preserving the classicism of Greco-Roman art, Byzantine buildings and art objects communicate the purity and certainties of the public face of early Christian art. Focusing on the art of Constantinople between 330 and 1453, this book probes the underlying motives and attitudes of the society which produced such rich and delicate art forms. It examines the stages this art went through as the city progressed from being the Christian center of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its crisis during attack from the new religion of Islam, to its revived medieval splendor and then, after the Latin capture of 1204 and the Byzantine reoccupation after 1261, to its arrival at a period of cultural reconciliation with East and West.

A History of Western Society

by John P. McKay (no photo)

Synopsis:

Now from Bedford/St. Martin's, A History of Western Society is one of the most successful textbooks available because it captures students' interest in the everyday life of the past and ties social history to the broad sweep of politics and culture. The tenth edition has been thoroughly revised to strengthen the text's readability, heighten its attention to daily life, and incorporate the insights of new scholarship, including an enhanced treatment of European exploration and a thoroughly revised post-1945 section. With a dynamic new design, new special features, and a completely revised and robust companion reader, this major revision makes the past memorable and accessible for a new generation of students and instructors.

The Secret History

by Procopius (no photo)

Synopsis:

A trusted member of the Byzantine establishment, Procopius was the Empire's official chronicler, and his "History of the Wars of Justinian" proclaimed the strength and wisdom of the Emperor's reign. Yet all the while the dutiful scribe was working on a very different - and dangerous - history to be published only once its author was safely in his grave. "The Secret History" portrays the 'great lawgiver' Justinian as a rampant king of corruption and tyranny, the Empress Theodora as a sorceress and whore, and the brilliant general Belisarius as the pliable dupe of his scheming wife Antonina. Magnificently hyperbolic and highly opinionated, "The Secret History" is a work of explosive energy, depicting holy Byzantium as a hell of murder and misrule.

Kathy wrote: "The Secret History

by Procopius (no photo)

Synopsis:

A trusted member of the Byzantine establishment, Procopius was the Empire's official chronicler, and hi..."

LOL - no photo! No cameras 1,500 years ago!

Barbara Hill

Just finished this book about imperial Byzantine women from 1025 to 1204, with a particular focus on the Comnene era. The 11th century found women in Byzantium with more power and influence than in prior centuries, or later ones. The much married Empress Zoe, and to a lesser extent her sister the Empress Theodora, allowed the empire to deteriorate into a complete mess. Eventually, the inimitable Anna Dalasenna, Empresses Eudokia Makrembolitissa and Irene Ducaena, and Anna Comnena, women of intelligence, ability and persistence, pulled it back from the brink.

Exceptionally well written for a book by an academic, the prose reads easily without much professorial pomposity. For those interested in Byzantine history, particularly the Comnene era, the author explains with clear details how a number of mid-11th century women brought about the changes needed to recover from 50 years of incompetent rulers. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Thanks Eileen for the book tip. Glad you like it.

When citing and you have no author photo, just say no photo:

by Barbara Hill (no photo)

Eileen wrote: "Kathy wrote: "The Secret History

by Procopius (no photo)

LOL - no photo! No cameras 1,500 years ago! ..."


:)

History of the Byzantine Empire: Vol. 1, 324-1453

by Alexander A. Vasiliev (no photo)

Synopsis:

Vasiliev's survey of Byzantine history is unique in the field. It is complete, including a sketch of literature and art for each period, while all other works of the kind, even the most recent, either are restricted to a shorter time, or neglect some side of eastern civilization. . . . This widely known and highly prized History of the Byzantine Empire needs not the commendation of any reviewer. Written originally in Russian, it has been turned into English, French, Spanish, and Turkish. It has always been a favorite with students.

A History of Byzantium

by Timothy E. Gregory

Synopsis:

This revised and expanded edition of the widely-praised A History of Byzantium covers the time of Constantine the Great in AD 306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Expands treatment of the middle and later Byzantine periods, incorporating new archaeological evidence.

Includes additional maps and photographs, and a newly annotated, updated bibliography.

Incorporates a new section on web resources for Byzantium studies.

Demonstrates that Byzantium was important in its own right but also served as a bridge between East and West and ancient and modern society.

Situates Byzantium in its broader historical context with a new comparative timeline and text boxes.

Anyone interested in the impact of the Crusades on the Byzantine Empire should read Byzantium and the Crusades by Jonathan Harris. He covers the topic in entertaining style and his knoweldge of the area is emphatic (Granted having been lectured by him during my time at Royal Holloway I may be slightly bias). I would still recommend this book to anyone looking to further their understanding of the period.

Ian wrote: "Anyone interested in the impact of the Crusades on the Byzantine Empire should read Byzantium and the Crusades by Jonathan Harris. He covers the topic in entertaining style and his knoweldge of th..."

Ian, your book citation should look like this -
by Jonathan Harris (no photo)

Sounds like a good one.

Thanks Ian & Vicki

WOMEN, MEN, AND EUNUCHS: GENDER IN BYZANTIUM

by Elizabeth James(no photo)

Description
The collected papers in this volume present a unique introduction both to the history of women, of men and eunuchs, or the third sex, in Byzantium and to the various theoretical and methodological approaches through which the topic can be examined. The contributors use evidence from both texts and images to give a wide-ranging picture of the place of women and Byzantine society and the perceptions of women held by that society.
Women, Men and Eunuchs offers a unique and valuable exploration of the issue of gender in Byzantium, which will fascinate anyone interested in ancient and medieval history and gender studies.

Thanks, Cassandra! Looks interesting.

The Alexiad by Anna Comnena

My next read. Very important book historically, as Anna is credited as the first female historian. The significance of the work to me,however, is that it is written from a person of the period (not to mention the Emperor's daughter) from the first-person pov. Looking forward to delve into this classic.

Thanks, MattiusTheFirst (guessing that is just your tag and not real name :))

Be sure to add the book cover in your citation. This looks like a good addition to the thread!

by Anna Comnena

Kathy wrote: "Thanks, MattiusTheFirst (guessing that is just your tag and not real name :))

Be sure to add the book cover in your citation. This looks like a good addition to the thread!

[bookcover:The Alexiad..."

Wow, a picture of Anna Comnena!

First Crusader: Byzantium's Holy Wars

by Geoffrey Regan (no photo)

Synopsis:

The word 'Crusades' has traditionally referred to the wars fought after the late eleventh century to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. Reagan argues that they actually began in the seventh century with the conquest by the Persians of the Byzantine Empire. In retaliation, the emperor Heraclius used Christian propaganda to turn the war into the first crusade. Coincidentally, Heraclius's career was unfolding at the same time as that of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed. No sooner had Heraclius overthrown the power of Persia and regained the Holy Land, than he lost it to the irresistably strong Arabs. First Crusader is an entertaining and challenging reinterpretation of The Crusades.

Thanks Jerome. So much that I don't know. The more I read, the more I realize that I don't know much about history. So much to learn.

Jerome wrote: "First Crusader: Byzantium's Holy Wars

by Geoffrey Regan (no photo)

Synopsis:

The word 'Crusades' has traditionally referre..."

I don't think they actually conquered the Byzantine empire, although they came very close to doing so.

Was this the Heraclius who developed a phobia of water?

Fourteen Byzantine Rulers: The Chronographia of Michael Psellus

by Michael Psellus (no photo)

Synopsis:

This chronicle of the Byzantine Empire, beginning in 1025, shows a profound understanding of the power politics that characterized the empire and led to its decline.