Introduction to Byzantium, 602-1453 / Edition 1

by Jonathan Harris

Overview

Introduction to Byzantium, 602–1453 provides students with an accessible guide to medieval Byzantium.

Beginning with the near collapse of Byzantium in the seventh century, the book traces its survival and development through to its absorption by the Ottoman empire. As well as having an overall political narrative, the chapters cover a wide range of topics including society and economy, art and architecture, literature and education, military tactics and diplomacy, gender and education. They also explore themes that remain prominent and highly debated today, including relations between Islam and the West, the impact of the Crusades, the development of Russia, and the emergence of Orthodox Christianity. Comprehensively written, each chapter provides an overview of the particular period or topic, a summary of the ongoing historiographical debates, primary source material textboxes, further reading recommendations and a ‘points to remember’ section.

Introduction to Byzantium, 602–453 provides students with a thorough introduction to the history of Byzantium and equips them with the tools to write successful analytical essays. It is essential reading for any student of the history of the Byzantine empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138556430
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/15/2020
Pages:	318
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.69(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jonathan Harris is Professor of the History of Byzantium at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. His recent publications include: Byzantium and the Crusades (2nd ed., 2014); The Lost World of Byzantium (2015) and Constantinople: Capital of Byzantium (2nd ed., 2017).

Table of Contents

List of figures xii

List of boxes xvi

List of maps xviii

Preface xix

Introduction 1

0.1 What's in a name? 1

0.2 The study of Byzantium 2

0.3 Byzantium in 602 CE 3

0.4 The tragic end of Emperor Maurice 8

Points to remember 11

Suggestions for further reading 11

Part I Crisis and survival 602-820 13

1 Major literary sources for the period 602-820 15

1.1 Byzantine literature and education 16

1.2 Patriarch Nikephoros 18

1.3 Theophanes Confessor 18

1.4 Other types of source: hagiography and military manuals 21

1.5 Sources from outside Byzantium 22

Points to remember 25

Some primary sources in English translation 25

Suggestions for further reading 26

2 Herakleios and the wars of survival (602-642) 27

2.1 The spiralling crisis (602- 622) 27

2.2 Defeat into victory (622-629) 28

2.3 Why the war was won 29

2.4 Victory into defeat (629-642) 34

2.5 What went wrong? 34

2.6 The Balkans and the western provinces 39

Points to remember 42

Suggestions for further reading 42

3 The dark age (642-718) 43

3.1 The new enemy: the Umayyad caliphate 43

3.2 Constantinople under siege 44

3.3 The battle for Asia Minor 47

3.4 The reorganisation of Asia Minor 51

3.5 The Balkans and the western provinces 56

Points to remember 58

Suggestions for further reading 60

4 The beginnings of the revival (718-820) 61

4.1 The North Syrian dynasty 62

4.2 Iconoclasm 63

4.3 The reign of Irene (780-802) 66

4.4 The limits of revival: Bulgaria 72

4.5 The limits of revival: Italy 74

Points to remember 78

Suggestions for further reading 78

Part II Reconquest and hegemony 820-1045 81

5 Major literary sources for the period 820-1045 83

5.1 The 'Macedonian Renaissance' 83

5.2 Historians at the court of Constantine VII (945-959) 87

5.3 Leo the Deacon 89

5.4 Michael Psellos 90

5.5 Another kind of source: letters 94

Points to remember 94

Primary sources in English translation 94

Suggestions for further reading 95

6 Amorians, Macedonians and Lekapenids (820-959) 96

6.1 The Amonan dynasty (820-867) 96

6.2 Basil I and the Macedonian dynasty (867-912) 99

6.3 Church and state under the Amorians and early Macedonians 102

6.4 Romanos I and the Lekapenid interlude (912-945) 107

6.5 The Macedonians restored (945-959) 112

Points to remember 113

Suggestions for further reading 113

7 Economy and culture 114

7.1 Economic revival 114

7.2 Art and architecture 119

7.3 Monasteries 123

7.4 Cultural influence 126

7.5 Urban life 131

7.6 Rural life 133

Points to remember 135

Suggestions for further reading 136

8 Expansion and social change (959-1045) 137

8.1 The rise of a landed, military aristocracy? 137

8.2 The soldier emperors (963-976) 142

8.3 Basil II (976-1025) 147

8.4 After Basil (1025-1045) 151

Points to remember 154

Suggestions for further reading 154

Part III Contraction, recovery and calamity 1045-1204 155

9 Major literary sources for the period 1045-1204 157

9.1 Historians at the Komnenian court 157

9.2 Anna Komnene and the Alexiad 158

9.3 Niketas Choniates 161

9.4 Other sources: political speeches and views from the West 165

Points to remember 167

Primary sources in English translation 168

Suggestions for further reading 168

10 The eleventh-century crisis (104S-1091) 169

10.1 The watershed moment? The reign of Constantine IX (1042-1055) 169

10.2 The end of the Macedonian dynasty (1055-106 7) 174

10.3 Romanos IV and the battle of Manzikert (1067-1071) 178

10.4 The fall of Asia Minor (1071-1081) 180

10.5 The struggle for the Balkans (1081-1091) 182

Points to remember 186

Suggestions for further reading 186

11 Stability under the Komnenos dynasty (1091-1180) 187

11.1 A new style of government under Alexios I 187

11.2 Alexios I and the First Crusade (1091-1118) 191

11.3 After Alexios: John II (1118-1143) 194

11.4 'Most happy emperor of illustrious memory': Manuel I (1143-1180) 197

11.5 Art and architecture under the Komnenos dynasty 199

Points to remember 205

Suggestions for further reading 205

12 The road to catastrophe (1180-1204) 206

12.1 Instability returns (1180-1185) 206

12.2 Alienation in the provinces 207

12.3 From alienation to separation: Isaac II Angelos (1185-1195) 211

12.4 The threat from the West: Alexios III Angelos (1195-1203) 215

12.5 The Fourth Crusade (1203-1204) 218

Points to remember 224

Suggestions for further reading 224

Part IV Decline and disappearance 1204-1453 225

13 Major literary sources for the period 1204-1453 227

13.1 George Akropolites 227

13.2 The last Attic historians 228

13.3 Historians writing after 1453 232

13.4 Other sources: Western literary and archival 234

Points to remember 235

Primary sources in English translation 236

Suggestions for further reading 236

14 Exile and restoration (1204-1282) 237

14.1 The aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1204-1221) 237

14.2 John III and the expansion of Nicaea (1221- 1259) 239

14.3 Michael VIII and the recovery of Constantinople (1259-1267) 243

14.4 The challenge of Charles of Anjou (1267-1282) 249

14.5 The Palaiologan Renaissance in art and education 252

Points to remember 257

Suggestions for further reading 257

15 Decline and downfall (1282-1453) 259

15.1 The calamitous reign of Andronikos II (1282-1328) 259

15.2 Civil war and controversy (1328-1354) 262

15.3 Urban and rural economy and society 264

15.4 The descent into vassaldom (1354-1394) 269

15.5 The last phase (1394-1453) 272

Points to remember 274

Suggestions for further reading 275

16 Conclusion: Byzantium's legacy 276

Glossary 279

List of Emperors 281

Timeline 283

Weblinks 285

Bibliography of secondary literature 286

Index 291

Editorial Reviews

'This book provides a fresh and up-to-date treatment of the Byzantine empire from 602 to 1453. It will be particularly useful for undergraduates encountering the Byzantine empire for the first time. Despite its broad coverage it conveys key debates and differences of interpretation. It is particularly distinguished by its use of boxes, which allows for deeper engagement with sources and also reflection on the development of the field of Byzantine Studies itself.'

Shaun Tougher, Cardiff University, UK

From the Publisher