Over the past fifty years, the history and culture of the Byzantine empire has ceased to be the preserve of a few scholars and is now taught and debated in universities all over the world. This book provides an introduction to the source material and to the very best recent writing on the empire's political history (306-1453), its art, army, religion, literature and economy. Recent developments in gender studies and archaeology are also explored. The book will be of interest to university students and anyone interested in understanding the ongoing debates about this mysterious and perplexing yet fascinating society.

'A comprehensive and entertaining introduction to the world of Byzantium, this guide provides an accessible overview of the politics, religion and culture of the East Roman Empire from the beginning of the fourth century to 1453. Offering surveys of both primary sources and the most recent scholarship, it will be a valuable tool for all students of Byzantium.' - Dr Fiona Haarer, Classics Department, King's College London, University of London

'...essential for the future progress and coherence of the field.' - Anthony Kaldellis, Department of Greek and Latin, Ohio State University

'...an indispensable teaching tool.' - Professor Michael John Angold, School of History and Classics, University of Edinburgh

Autorentext
CHARLES BARBER Associate Professor in the History of Art, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA JANE BAUN Fellow of Greyfriars Hall, Oxford, and Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Hellenic Studies, King's College London, UK KEN DARK Director, Research Centre for Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, and Chair of the Graduate Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Reading, UK ALAN HARVEY Senior Lecturer in History, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK ANTONY LITTLEWOOD Professor, Department of Classical Studies, University of Western Ontario, CANADA RALPH W. MATHISEN Lecturer in Roman History and Late Antiquity, Department of History, University of Illinois, USA DION C. SMYTHE Lecturer in Byzantine Studies, Queen's University, Belfast, UK PAUL STEPHENSON Rowe Professor of Byzantine History, University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA ALICE-MARY TALBOT DIrector of Byzantine Studies, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington DC, USA SHAUN TOUGHER Lecturer in Ancient History, Cardiff School of History and Archaeology, Cardiff University, UK WARREN TREADGOLD National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies, Saint Louis University, USA

Inhalt
Political History (306-602); R.Mathisen Political History (602-1025); S.Tougher Political History (1025-1204); P.Stephenson Political History (1204-1453); J.Harris Gender; D.Smythe Art; C.Barber Church; J.Baun Army and Defence; W.Treadgold Literature; A.Littlewood Economy; A.Harvey Monasticism; A.Talbot Archaeology; K.Dark