A Short History of Byzantium
Paperback – Illustrated, December 29, 1998
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · Paperback · December 29, 1998
"Norwich is always on the lookout for the small but revealing details. . . .
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- Who it’s for
- Follow Byzantium across eleven centuries of politics, faith, warfare, art, and sharply observed human detail.
- Themes
- Byzantine history, Empire and statecraft, Religious art and fanaticism
- Genres
- Medieval History, Middle Eastern History, Civilizations
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Start with this bookAbout this book
"Norwich is always on the lookout for the small but revealing details. . . . All of this he recounts in a style that consistently entertains." --The New York Times Book Review In this magisterial adaptation of his epic three-volume history of Byzantium, John Julius Norwich chronicles the world's longest-lived Christian empire.
Continue reading
Beginning with Constantine the Great, who in a.d. 330 made Christianity the religion of his realm and then transferred its capital to the city that would bear his name, Norwich follows the course of eleven centuries of Byzantine statecraft and warfare, politics and theology, manners and art. In the pages of A Short History of Byzantium we encounter mystics and philosophers, eunuchs and barbarians, and rulers of fantastic erudition, piety, and degeneracy. We enter the life of an empire that could create some of the world's most transcendent religious art and then destroy it in the convulsions of fanaticism. Stylishly written and overflowing with drama, pathos, and wit, here is a matchless account of a lost civilization and its magnificent cultural legacy. "Strange and fascinating . . . filled with drollery and horror." --Boston Globe
Empire in Motion
Follow Byzantium across eleven centuries of politics, faith, warfare, art, and sharply observed human detail.
Come here for
- A sustained history of an empire with a remarkably long life
- Statecraft and theology alongside manners, art, and warfare
Expect
- Stylish narration with wit, drama, and pathos
- A broad view of Byzantine cultural legacy and upheaval
Where it sits
| Medieval History | 85% |
|---|---|
| Middle Eastern History | 25% |
| Civilizations | 24% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Ancient Rome
- Asian History
- Medieval Warfare
- Authors
- John Julius Norwich
- Publisher
- Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
- Published
- December 29, 1998
- Format
- Paperback
- Theme
- Byzantine history · Empire and statecraft · Religious art and fanaticism
- Reading lane
- Ancient Rome