Customer Reviews

Byzantium: The Decline and Fall

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Before I read this book, I knew nothing about Byzantium. So I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, and realized after I started that I had made a mistake; I didn't realize when I bought this book that it was the third volume of a three-volume set. Doubtless, it would have been less overwhelming to start at the beginning, especially for someone like me, with no previous knowledge of the subject. Still, I learned a great deal from this book; not only was it informative, but it wasn't nearly as dry and impenatrable as I'd been afraid it might be. In fact, the style is downright readable; Norwich actually has a rather pleasant, if dry, sense of humor.

I definitely plan on getting the first two volumes of this series, and continuing my education on the history of Byzantium.

Others have written at length about the scholarship and erudition. The Byzantium trilogy is indeed an excellent addition to my history bookshelf. If you need any encouragement to buy it, then just read a couple of the footnotes: "neither the imperial army nor Alexius Comnenus [the Emperor] emerges with much credit from the bloodbath of Levunium." footnote: "Anna Comnena (in The Alexiad, a history) exonerates her father from any involvement in the massacre, but then she would, wouldn't she?" Or regarding the Emperors before Alexius Comnenus: "...Inflation, which had already begun under Michael VII, (footnote here), spiraled more dizzily than ever." Footnote; "He was popularly known as 'Parapinaces', or 'Minus-a-quarter', since the gold nomisma, after having remained stable for more than 500 years, was said to have lost a quarter of its value during his reign." On an imperial marriage, the footnote reads: "The marriage evoked 100 lines of peculiarly flatulent verse from Claudian, the Epithalamium ending with an affecting picture of an infant son sitting on his parents' knees. Maria is said, however, to have lived and died a virgin." I recommend this book, and the other two books (Byzantium: The Early Centuries, and Byzantium: The Apogee) highly. Read them. You won't be disappointed. I draw a parallel between the books and what Lord Norwich said about the Byzantine Emperors: "Some of these Emperors were heroes, others were monsters; but they were never, never dull."

The final volume of Norwich's Byzantine history is a literary trimph, despite the disintegrating nature of the civilization being written about. In this volume Norwich begins in the aftermath of the battle of Manzikert in 1071 and finishes with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453. Norwich uses his elegant prose style to present this tragic story in a highly moving way.

All three volumes read like a eulogy at the funeral of beloved relative. In this period of dehumanizing social sciences Norwich brings the people of the past alive, and treats them with respect and dignity even when their behavior does not necessarily inspire kind treatment. The role and majesty of Byzantium has been overlooked in the West for centuries; in doing his best to rectify that Norwich has created one of the masterpieces of historical writing.

Too often history books are written solely for academics, leaving the layperson struggling in a morass of uninteresting facts, punctuated by poor writing. Norwich is an exception to this. Academically, his books are sound. He is one of the pre-eminent Byzantine scholars of today. Yet, his work is also readable, interesting and dare I say enjoyable. If you're a fan of history, or are simply looking for something different to read, any one of these three books (Early Centuries, Apogee or Decline & Fall) are well worth the effort.

I found the book incredibly inspiring and fascinating. Viscount Norwich manages to describe the last years of a once glorious empire, now languishing as a puppet state, torn by civil conflict and strife. By the time one finishes the book - there is no doubt: with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 the world saw an end to the world's greatest and most influential civilisations: that of Rome and that of Byzantium. To anyone searching for the roots of Western Civilisation (Rome and Greece), this book is a "must-read".

Norwich's final volume in his sweeping history of the Byzantine Empire is bitter-sweet. As Norwich himself recognizes in his introduction, when he concluded writing it, it was as if he was saying farewell to an old friend. I felt the same way when I read the concluding chapter.

Norwich focuses almost exclusively on political history, a reason for which I had previously deducted a star in reviews of his other works in the trilogy. Having read the entire set, it clearly warrants 5 stars, especially given his poignant concluding chapters detailing the breach of the walls of Constantinople in 1453, an epilogue of the survivors, and - as is fitting to a history that has been long overlooked and denied its place in world history - the reaction of Western Europe.

Having read Norwich's histories of the rise and zenith of Byzantium, it was oddly sad to read of its gradual decline, a death by a thousand cuts as Byzantium was beset by enemies from all directions. His account of the sacking of Byzantimum during the Fourth Crusade was particularly moving. As a historian, it is expected to remain somewhat at a distance from the period and people studied; that I had such a reaction is testament to the power of Norwich's words.

I recommend this book - and the others preceeding it - highly. There are lessons to be learned here not only about how once great and wealthy empires disintegrate and collapse, but also about the subject matter itself: the West, and indeed the world owe Byzantium much, as Norwich eloquently demonstrates.

If you have seen my other reviews on the previous two volumes, you will note that my criticism on the lack of maps is not a new one. However, once I get past that aspect of the book, wow...what a page turner. One of the reviewers here wrote "Gotterdamerung"...absolutely appropriate. The decline of one of the longest lasting empires is tragic in that the major Byzantine players had, at times,opportunities to reverse the decline, but Byzantine intrigue ruled the day.
Particularly today with the movies highlighting the crusades, this volume sheds another light on the Byzantine view of the crusaders, a view which many westerners may be unaware of.
The almost anti-climatic fall of Constantinople is a sad footnote in history, but the manner in which Norwich describes it is such a pleasurable read, I would not hesitate to pick this volume up again and reread it some time in the future. A wonderful story.

This is how you write ancient history. Sure many historical details are not known, but many ancient historians wrote about the leaders, and Norwich uses this to his advantage. Byzantium comes alive as the Grecian version of the Roman Empire. All 3 volumes keep you glued to the pages. I almost felt guilty having so much fun reading history -- and that's from the perspective of an advid history enthusiast. Norwich makes you care about his characters, warts and all. And by the end, you find yourself rooting for the survival of Byzantium. Well done sir!

I have read all three volumes twice now. The second reading was even better than the first. Lord Norwhich writes his history in story form and consequently draws the reader in as if he is reading fiction. The story itself is one of triumph, incompetance and in the end a tragedy of epic proportions.

John Julius Norwich's Byzantine Trilogy, represents an intellectual product of the highest quality. Undoutedly, he is a charismatic writer with the capacity to transform a somewhat neglected and forgotten period of our human civilazation, into a delighful experience for his readres. Bravo !