A Concise History of Byzantium (European History in Perspective) [Hardcover]

Warren Treadgold (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0333718291 | ISBN-13: 978-0333718292 | Publication Date: January 6, 2001

Between AD 285, when Byzantium first separated from the Western Roman Empire, and 1461, when the last Byzantine splinter state disappeared, the Byzantine state and society underwent many crises, triumphs, declines and recoveries. Spanning twelve centuries and three continents, the Byzantine empire linked the ancient and modern worlds, shaping and transmitting Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions—including the Greek classics, Roman law, and Christian theology—that remain vigorous today, not only in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, but throughout western civilization.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Much as H.D.F. Kitto condensed The Greeks (1988), Treadgold (history, St. Louis Univ.) here abridges his massive History of the Byzantine State and Society (LJ 9/1/97). The Byzantine Empire (285-1461) spanned three continents and demands a succinct overview, especially given its relevance to such diverse disciplines as modern Balkan politics and church history. The author's historiography depends greatly on quantifying change. In each chapter, he provides a narrative account of the events of a specific period followed by sections on the society and culture. These latter sections reflect the author's interest in the size and pay of the armies, the demographic variations of regions and cities, and such factors as urbanization or the lack thereof. He draws fascinating conclusions from the revenues and bureaucracies of the different eras. The excellent bibliography will give students a good start on research in any of the periods discussed. Recommended for all libraries. Clay Williams, Hunter Coll., New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Edward Gibbon regarded the Byzantine (or East Roman or Later Roman) Empire with disdain. It was both a pale imitation of classical Hellenic culture and a degenerate inheritor of Roman Latin political institutions. Although subsequent historians have modified that view, the general perception of a static empire in a state of "perpetual decline" remains. This compact survey of an empire that outlasted the Roman Empire in the West by a millennium may not dispel that notion, but it does pay tribute to the vibrancy, cultural richness, and historical legacy of the first great "Christian" empire. Treadgold necessarily moves quickly, but he convincingly illustrates how the Byzantine (1) transmitted elements of classical culture to disparate groups, including Slavs and Arabs, (2) were instrumental in bringing Christianity to eastern "barbarians," and (3) maintained a degree of stability in the eastern Mediterranean despite constant external threats. This is an excellent general history of a still underappreciated people and of their contributions to the modern world. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (January 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0333718291
• ISBN-13: 978-0333718292
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,249,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Warren Treadgold received his doctorate from Harvard University, has taught at UCLA, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley, and is now National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies at Saint Louis University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good anyalitical history, June 10, 2003

By 

Tom Munro "tomfrombrunswick" (Melbourne, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Concise History of Byzantium (European History in Perspective) (Hardcover)

This is a very good although brief little book. Byzantium is the name given to the part of the Roman Empire which survived the collapse of the West. Those who lived in it would have known themselves as Romans and Byzantium is very much an artificial name thought up after the event by scholars who had something of a prejudice against the Eastern Empire. This book is a strongly argued rebuttal of that position.

The historian who has shaped the popular view of the Roman Empire is Gibbon. His rather long work explores a theme. That theme is that the Roman Empire reached its peak when its members were pagan and immersed in the values of a classical civilisation. The conversion to Christianity changed the nature and structure of the empire and led to its decline.

This book broadly suggests that this view is poppycock and it uses a statistical and analytical approach to prove its point. Broadly what is argued is that the reason for the decline of Rome was bound up in the nature of the imperial system in 200 onwards. The basis of the authority of the Emperor was the support of the army. The army in turn consisted of troops who were generally non-roman. Although the Empire was nominally the strongest power in Europe at the time its internal authority was subject to fragmentation and it was this which led to the collapse of the Empire in the West.

In the East a similar thing happened. However the Emperors were gradually able to re-assert civil power over the military. In addition it was also possible to build a common culture based on the Greek language and Christianity which unified the Empire and gave those who lived in it a common identity.

Rather than declining the Eastern Empire was able under Justinian to go on the offensive and to re-conquer Africa and Italy. Whilst the Empire was to suffer reverses it lasted to 1200 and was still one of the strongest powers in Europe in 1000.

This book uses statistics on the revenue of the empire, the size of its army and the extent of its territory to prove it's the central thesis. This book is fare easier to understand than a straight chronological history like that of Norwich. It is a book which cannot be recommended highly enough.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-rate introduction to 1,000 years of overlooked history, September 3, 2002

By 

Mark Klobas (Tempe, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Concise History of Byzantium (European History in Perspective) (Hardcover)

This is a fantastic, accessible introduction to the long and complicated history of a region that often gets overlooked or glossed over. In a little over 250 pages, Treadgold ably summarizes the ebb and flow of an empire which was at the crossroads of Western history. Though he focuses primarily on the political history of Byzantium, Treadgold also includes economic, social, and cultural developments, tying it all together with a conclusion that makes an excellent case for its significance to Western history. This is must reading for anybody interested in understanding how the eastern Roman empire survived the collapse of its western counterpart, as well as how its existence (and its own eventual fall) shaped the world in which we live today.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise, clear and to the point. Excellent, April 4, 2001

By 

T. Warner "SPQR" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Concise History of Byzantium (European History in Perspective) (Hardcover)

Highly Recommended!

I wanted to read a good general history of Byzantium, which I knew very little about. This book gives very good coverage of the important points of Byzantine history in just a couple of hundred pages. I now have a good general idea about who and what the empire was. The book is clear and well written with good analysis of economic and population factors as well what the military was doing. I also liked the balanced treatment of role of Christianity and the Church in the empire.