Emperors and Imperial Dynasties of Byzantium: Translated Texts on Byzantine Civilization
By Sviatoslav Dmitriev
Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-888587-0
This extensive collection of translated texts explores the emperors of Byzantium from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries. Drawing on chronicles, letters and other historical sources, it offers a sweeping tour of Byzantine politics across more than a thousand years.
Excerpt:
In broader terms, the publication of this book reflects a growing appreciation of the importance of Byzantine civilization and the rising interest in all things Byzantine, both from specialists in many academic fields and from general readers alike. As Romans by administration and law, Greeks by culture, education, and intellectual life, and Christians by their religion, the Byzantines formed a unique medieval civilization. An expansive empire with permeable borders, Byzantium successfully balanced innumerable dangers from western barbarians, Muslims, European Christians, and various peoples of the steppes, as well as often-hostile Slavic and Turkic neighbors. The Byzantines preserved their culture and identity for more than a millennium, developing the most sophisticated of the medieval civilizations, before falling victim to European greed and Muslim determination.
Who is this book for?
Running over 900 pages, this hefty volume is aimed at students of Byzantine history. As the author explains, its central theme is that “the history of the Byzantine Empire is the history of its emperors.” What follows are hundreds of excerpts from primary sources, most just a couple of pages long, offering insights into the lives and reigns of individual emperors.
While many of these sources are already available elsewhere, bringing them together in a single volume makes this collection a useful reference work for anyone studying Byzantine history and politics.
The Author
Sviatoslav Dmitriev is Associate Professor of History at Ball State University. His research focuses on early Byzantium.
Emperors and Imperial Dynasties of Byzantium: Translated Texts on Byzantine Civilization
By Sviatoslav Dmitriev
Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-888587-0
This extensive collection of translated texts explores the emperors of Byzantium from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries. Drawing on chronicles, letters and other historical sources, it offers a sweeping tour of Byzantine politics across more than a thousand years.
Excerpt:
In broader terms, the publication of this book reflects a growing appreciation of the importance of Byzantine civilization and the rising interest in all things Byzantine, both from specialists in many academic fields and from general readers alike. As Romans by administration and law, Greeks by culture, education, and intellectual life, and Christians by their religion, the Byzantines formed a unique medieval civilization. An expansive empire with permeable borders, Byzantium successfully balanced innumerable dangers from western barbarians, Muslims, European Christians, and various peoples of the steppes, as well as often-hostile Slavic and Turkic neighbors. The Byzantines preserved their culture and identity for more than a millennium, developing the most sophisticated of the medieval civilizations, before falling victim to European greed and Muslim determination.
Who is this book for?
Running over 900 pages, this hefty volume is aimed at students of Byzantine history. As the author explains, its central theme is that “the history of the Byzantine Empire is the history of its emperors.” What follows are hundreds of excerpts from primary sources, most just a couple of pages long, offering insights into the lives and reigns of individual emperors.
While many of these sources are already available elsewhere, bringing them together in a single volume makes this collection a useful reference work for anyone studying Byzantine history and politics.
The Author
Sviatoslav Dmitriev is Associate Professor of History at Ball State University. His research focuses on early Byzantium.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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