The Making of Byzantium, 600-1025 / Edition 1

by Mark Whittow

Overview

Mark Whittow presents a clear, up-to-date reassessment of the Byzantine empire during a crucial phase in the history of the Near East. Against a geopolitical background (superbly illustrated with fourteen maps), his book covers the last decade of the Roman empire as a superpower, the catastrophic crisis of the seventh century, and the means whereby the embattled Byzantine empire hung on in Constantinople and Asia Minor until the Abbasid Caliphate's decline opened up new perspectives for Christian power in the Near East.

A special feature is Whittow's coverage of Byzantium's neighbors, allies, and enemies in Europe and Asia. He stresses the geographical context of events, often overlooked in other accounts of this period. The origins of Russia, relations with the nomad powers of the steppe world, the competition between Bulgars, Romans, and Slavs in the Balkans, and the frequently ignored region of the Transcaucasus are all given extended treatment. No such wide-ranging work has appeared in English for nearly 30 years, and Whittow's book will be invaluable for all scholars, students, and enthusiasts of medieval history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520204973
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	08/05/1996
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Mark Whittow is a medieval historian and archaeologist at Oriel College, Oxford. He has published articles on Byzantine cities and castles and is currently directing a project surveying medieval castles in western Turkey.

Table of Contents

List of Maps
Transliteration and References
List of Abbreviations
Chronological List
Preface

1. SOURCES FOR EARLY MEDIEVAL BYZANTIUM

2. THE STRATEGIC GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEAR EAST
The Balkans
The Steppes
Anatolia and Iran
The Agricultural Plains
The Desert
Conclusion: a Strategic Geography

3. THE ROMAN WORLD IN 600
The Strategic Outlook
The Social and Economic Base

4. THE FALL OF THE OLD ORDER
The Last Roman-Persian War
The Islamic Conquests
The End of the Ancient Economy, c.650-750

5. HOW THE ROMAN EMPIRE SURVIVED
From Rome to Byzantium
How the Empire Survived: the City of Constantine
and Theodosios
Taxation
The Imperial Court
The Army and Navy
The Church

6. THE SHOCK OF DEFEAT
The Byzantine World View
Icons and Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm and the Making of Orthodox Byzantium

7. THE BYZANTINE RESPONSE: ON TO THE DEFENSIVE
Adapting the Late Roman Military Tradition
Byzantine Defensive Strategy, c.750-c.950
The Size of the Byzantine Army

8. THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND ITS NON-MUSLIM NEIGHBOURS, c.600-c.950
Transcaucasia
The Khazars
The Rus
The Balkans
The Western Provinces

9. THE AGE OF RECONQUEST, 863-976
The Byzantine Offensive in the East
The Decline of the Abbasid Caliphate
The Costs of Success: Byzantium, 863-976

10. THE REIGN OF BASIL II, 976-1025
The Byzantine World in 976
The Great Civil Wars, 976-89
The Triumph of Constantinople, 990-1025

Notes
Bibliography
Index