Byzantine Books - Page 6

Western Travellers to Constantinople: The West and Byzantium, 962-1204 : Cultural and Political Relations (Medieval Mediterranean, V. 10)

Krijna Nelly Ciggaar

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Editorial Review:

This volume deals with relations between the West and Byzantium, from the accession of Otto I the Great in Germany in 962, until the Fourth Crusade when Constantinople was conquered by the Western crusading armies in 1204. The impact which these contacts and confrontations had on both sides is discussed in sections dealing with specific areas (such as the North, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) as well as in sections dealing with specific aspects of the process: the journey, the attractions of the East, and the idea of 'autoritates' and 'translationes' of various political and intellectual ideas. An extensive index will help readers to find specific topics. The book is illustrated with maps, and with a number of objects betraying Byzantine influence in the West, or Western presence in Byzantium.

The Development of the Komnenian Army 1081-1180: 1081-1180 (History of Warfare, 5)

John W. Birkenmeier

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The emperors of the Komnenian dynasty orchestrated the economic and military renewal of the Byzantine Empire. In 1081, Alexios I became emperor of a bankrupt and diminished empire. In 1180, Manuel I ruled the most powerful state in the eastern Mediterranean, capable of sending expeditions to Egypt, Hungary, Italy, and Palestine. This study examines how the Komnenian emperors restored the Byzantine state by building a professional army of mercenaries and Byzantine citizens. It examines the army's ethnic composition, tactics, equipment, and its financial support. Finally, it examines the army in battle. This is the only study of the Byzantine army during the privotal twelfth century. It provides an explanation for the complex Byzantine political and military problems of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, as well as another perspective on the European crusading movement.

Byzantine Magic (Dumbarton Oaks Research Library)

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Editorial Review:

Written by specialists in several disciplines, this volume explores the parameters and significance of magic in Byzantine society, from the fourth century to after the empire's fall. The authors address a wide variety of questions, some of which are common to all historical research into magic, and some of which are peculiar to the Byzantine context.

The authors reveal the scope, the forms, and the functioning of magic in Byzantine society, throwing light on a hitherto relatively little-known aspect of Byzantine culture, and, at the same time, expanding upon the contemporary debates concerning magic and its roles in pre-modern societies.

The Reign of Leo VI (886-912): Politics and People (Medieval Mediterranean, V. 15)

Shaun Tougher

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Leo VI, emperor of Byzantine 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

A good book for they who are interested in the subject or theme/issue. It`s not a popular version.

The Byzantine Lists: ERRORS OF THE LATINS (Illinois Medieval Studies)

Tia M. Kolbaba

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Editorial Review:

The Byzantine lists cataloguing the 'errors' of Latin Christians have been dismissed by generations of scholars as the writings of deranged fanatics. In contrast, Tia M. Kolbaba takes these texts seriously and presents an explanation of their significance that is both erudite and eminently readable. The lists were written by Byzantines who believed that western Christians had fallen into heresy and impiety. Systematically addressing each fault enumerated in the lists - including the Filioque, fasting on the Sabbath, prohibiting clerical marriage, eating unclean food, and crossing themselves the wrong way - Kolbaba traces the likely explanations of the differences in custom and ritual between eastern and western Christians.She considers when Byzantine Christians first raised a given issue and whether any ecclesiastical law speaks to the subject. She discusses whether the Latins actually did what they were accused of and whether any Byzantine Christians also did what the Latins were accused of. She also shows how misinterpretation, misunderstanding, and xenophobia played a role in exaggerating Latin and Byzantine differences. Kolbaba skillfully argues that the lists represent a desperate effort by some Byzantines to retain their cultural independence as Latin dominance in the military and commercial spheres slowly strangled the eastern empire. "The Byzantine Lists" also speaks meaningfully to the issue of xenophobia as it appears in every age: the effort to distinguish between 'us' and 'them' by establishing one's own culture as the norm and condemning difference on the other side.

O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates: Annals of Niketas Choniates (Byzantine Texts in Translation)

Nicetas Choniates

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An Eastern View of the Crusades 5 out of 5 stars.
17 of 18 people found this review helpful.

Choniates' book chronicles the waning years of Byzantine power, from the Commenian dynasty to the fall of Constantinople to the latin armies of the Fourth Crusade. The exceptional violence of the sack is graphically recorded by Choniates; as an eyewitness to the destruction of 1,000 years of independence at the hands of fellow 'Christians,' his words are appropiately bitter. The ethos is decidedly Old Testament. The chronicle is unexpurgated in Magoulias' translation. The earthy mixes with the mystical in several places, as in the minute description of Anna Commena's marital relations with her hisband, Bryennos, after the latter fails to make a bid for the throne against Anna's brother. (Anna is a celebrated historian in her own right, having authored the "Alexiad.") The chapters on Andronicus Commenos are almost Shakespearian, chronicling his promising rise late in life, ruthless rule, and rapid and bitter fall. The picture painted by Choniates' words of the old Emperor beaten and disfigured beyond recognition after his denouncement are truly tragic. Dr. Magoulias faithfully preserves the Eastern spirit of the Byzantine mind. Son of an Orthodox priest and fellow at Dumbarton Oaks, he is immersed in his subject, as this work shows. (I had the pleasure of attending his lectures at Wayne State University in the 1980s.) -Lloyd A. Conway

The Byzantine Commonwealth: Eastern Europe 500-1453

Dimitri Obolensky

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Tightly focused but quite good 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I can't praise highly enough this well researched, masterful look at the mechanisms of cultural diffusion in the Balkans and Russia in the Byzantine period. Obolensky, an unquestioned leader in the field of Byzantine studies, has put together a cogent, precise and elegantly written book that, while not really for the layman, is clear enough for most persons with some familiarity with the topic. He demonstrates the role of what he calls "intermediaries", e.g. merchants, missionaries and mercenaries, in spreading Byzantium's unique Graeco-Romano-Christian culture throughout the Slavic world. A little attention is paid to Byzantium's influence on the West and on the structures of the Ottoman state, but the real focus realy is on the Balkan states. And, well, where have you seen that lately?

Editorial Review:

Throughout much of the Middle Ages, Eastern Europe-the Balkans, Russia, Rumania and the land on either side of the Danube--was affected by Byzantine political and cultural influence. From the barbarian invasions to the Middle Ages, this is an illuminating read that demystifies the Balkans.

Nikephoros, Patriarch of Constantinople: Short History (Dumbarton Oaks Texts)

Nikephoros

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What Life Was Like Amid Splendor and Intrigue: Byzantine Empire Ad 330-1453

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The Perfect Introduction to Byzantine Civilization 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The book "What Life Was Like Amid Splendor and Intrigue - Byzantine Empire AD 330-1453" truly does justice to its title. It tells the story of Byzantium through richly informative and very colorful images and fascinating articles. There is not a page in the book without at least one photo of a Byzantine sculpture, building, mosaic, tapestry, or jewel. What is refreshing is that all of these images were produced in Byzantium, so this book allows the reader to form a perception of Byzantium based on images that Byzantines made themselves.

As well, this book is a well-organized thematic introduction to life in Byzantium. It includes sections on the origins of Byzantium, Imperial Women, Luxury goods, Soldiers, Religion, the End of the Empire, and much more. If you want to have an enjoyable, educational and fun introduction to Byzantine Civilization, I highly recommend this book to you.

The Conquest of Constantinople (Medieval Academy Reprints for Teaching, 36)

Robert De Clari

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Editorial Review:

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) set out to capture the Holy Land; it ended up sacking Constantinople, an Orthodox Christian city and the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Robert of Clari, an obscure knight from Picardy, provides an extraordinary recounting of the decidedly mixed triumphs of the Fourth Crusade, an event that deepened the rift between the Eastern and Western churches. His chronicle is one of the few accounts of the crusades told from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He provides firsthand descriptions of battles with the Greek defenders of Constantinople and the various hardships endured on the crusaders' eastward journey. Robert also serves as a guide, describing the marvels of Constantinople and other sights he encountered during the crusade.

Robert's account tells of the practical, political, and theological negotiations and disputes that defined the Fourth Crusade. He recounts the Venetian Doge's stubborn bargaining with the crusaders over the use of his ships and how the pope's bishops vigorously campaigned for the conquest of Constantinople. Throughout the crusade, various kings and lords from Europe jockeyed for power as they tried to assert their political and military leadership. Robert's chronicle concludes with the political disputes between various nobles to control the Byzantine Empire and the spoils of battle.