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Recent negative reviews of John Romer's 1997 documentary series reveal how much documentary film making has changed in the last decade. For those of us who are Romer fans, most of this change has been for the worse. A concentration on historical recreation, flashy CG effects and supplying 'facts', typical of much History Channel product of recent years (predicated as it is on the notion that most watchers suffer from a major attention deficit problem and lack a general historical knowledge, or any ability to use TV as a springboard to further reading), has dumbed down a lot of what is offered. Thus documentary making, with a few notable exceptions, has largely become a niche sub market of the 'Entertainment' industry.
John Romer never treated his audience as idiots or the television medium as necessarily simplistic and trivializing. His treatment of historical subjects is also strongly thematic, especially concerned with the history of ideas, and as such inevitably selective in nature.
So yes, this series could have dealt with Basil the Bulgar Slayer, or the consequences of the Battle of Manzikert, or how to make icons or what Byzantines wore or hundreds of other important or less unimportant events and developments, but its failure to do so is neither here nor there, and does not detract from the excellence of this series. It does not aim at completeness and its organization is on a higher and more ambitious level than providing a simple chronological narrative.
As to those reviewers who find Romer's presentation style annoying, well all I can say, like many others, is that, in my opinion, he is among the best and most natural presenters of this style of documentary, with a lot of humour and warmth, but combined with an uncanny ability to examine ancient artifacts with both an artist's and historian's eye simultaneously: never afraid to use the television camera to examine both form and content.
Hopefully, there will come a time when we will see a new wave of historical documentary makers who, like Romer, see television as something valuable in its own right as an educative tool rather than just more 'factual programming' fodder for cable programming.
For those who enjoy this style of documentary series may I also recommend two of Romer's finest series, recently released by Athena (Acorn) in North America: 'Ancient Lives (1984) and 'Testament' (1988).
Having visited Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) recently, I became interested in learning more about the Byzantine Empire. For me, John Romer, who both wrote and narrates this program, was an excellent guide.Like many people, I assumed that the Roman Empire disappeared with the Sack of Rome (476 AD). When Romer pointed out that the Empire simply shifted to the East with its center at Constantinople, my reaction was "Of course!"Unfortunately, as a result of the iconoclastic movement that took place around 800 AD, most of the great Byzantine art was destroyed. That which has survived was looted by the Crusaders of the 4th Crusade (1405 AD), much of it ending up in Venice.Thus, most of this film shows Romer wandering around in the architectural ruins of the empire.A surprise at the end was Romer's revelation that an exotic figure in the frescoes on the walls of the Magi Chapel in the Medici Palace in Florence was Emperor John VIII of the Eastern Empire (see customer image at top of page), who had come to Europe seeking help in keeping the Ottoman Turks from capturing and sacking Constantinople. He failed and Constantinople was lost in 1453.Perhaps because virtually all of Romer's information was new to me, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Other, more sophisticated, viewers may react differently.For those interested in pursuing the subject further, The Teaching Company offers a fine course on Byzantium featuring Professor Kenneth Harl of Tulane University. The World of Byzantium-The Great Courses (24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)(6 VHS TAPES) In addition to being an excellent teacher, Professor Harl is very funny.The picture of Justinian on the cover, by the way, is from the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Italy, one of the few places untouched by the iconoclastic movement (another is St. Catherine's monastery at the base of Mount Sinai). Ravenna is a delightful city, frozen in time after the Byzantines pulled out in 751 AD.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 1, 2010
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 5, 2008
Like many people, I assumed that the Roman Empire disappeared with the Sack of Rome (476 AD). When Romer pointed out that the Empire simply shifted to the East with its center at Constantinople, my reaction was "Of course!"
Unfortunately, as a result of the iconoclastic movement that took place around 800 AD, most of the great Byzantine art was destroyed. That which has survived was looted by the Crusaders of the 4th Crusade (1405 AD), much of it ending up in Venice.
Thus, most of this film shows Romer wandering around in the architectural ruins of the empire.
A surprise at the end was Romer's revelation that an exotic figure in the frescoes on the walls of the Magi Chapel in the Medici Palace in Florence was Emperor John VIII of the Eastern Empire (see customer image at top of page), who had come to Europe seeking help in keeping the Ottoman Turks from capturing and sacking Constantinople. He failed and Constantinople was lost in 1453.
Perhaps because virtually all of Romer's information was new to me, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Other, more sophisticated, viewers may react differently.
For those interested in pursuing the subject further, The Teaching Company offers a fine course on Byzantium featuring Professor Kenneth Harl of Tulane University. [[ASIN:B001A9XURK The World of Byzantium-The Great Courses (24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)(6 VHS TAPES)]] In addition to being an excellent teacher, Professor Harl is very funny.
The picture of Justinian on the cover, by the way, is from the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Italy, one of the few places untouched by the iconoclastic movement (another is St. Catherine's monastery at the base of Mount Sinai). Ravenna is a delightful city, frozen in time after the Byzantines pulled out in 751 AD.
Low-keyed but excellent
By Diego Banducci on January 5, 2008
Having visited Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) recently, I became interested in learning more about the Byzantine Empire. For me, John Romer, who both wrote and narrates this program, was an excellent guide.By Diego Banducci on January 5, 2008
Like many people, I assumed that the Roman Empire disappeared with the Sack of Rome (476 AD). When Romer pointed out that the Empire simply shifted to the East with its center at Constantinople, my reaction was "Of course!"
Unfortunately, as a result of the iconoclastic movement that took place around 800 AD, most of the great Byzantine art was destroyed. That which has survived was looted by the Crusaders of the 4th Crusade (1405 AD), much of it ending up in Venice.
Thus, most of this film shows Romer wandering around in the architectural ruins of the empire.
A surprise at the end was Romer's revelation that an exotic figure in the frescoes on the walls of the Magi Chapel in the Medici Palace in Florence was Emperor John VIII of the Eastern Empire (see customer image at top of page), who had come to Europe seeking help in keeping the Ottoman Turks from capturing and sacking Constantinople. He failed and Constantinople was lost in 1453.
Perhaps because virtually all of Romer's information was new to me, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Other, more sophisticated, viewers may react differently.
For those interested in pursuing the subject further, The Teaching Company offers a fine course on Byzantium featuring Professor Kenneth Harl of Tulane University. [[ASIN:B001A9XURK The World of Byzantium-The Great Courses (24 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)(6 VHS TAPES)]] In addition to being an excellent teacher, Professor Harl is very funny.
The picture of Justinian on the cover, by the way, is from the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Italy, one of the few places untouched by the iconoclastic movement (another is St. Catherine's monastery at the base of Mount Sinai). Ravenna is a delightful city, frozen in time after the Byzantines pulled out in 751 AD.
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 27, 2008
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P. R. Nokes
Not bad, but could have been better...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 16, 2009
