The Oxford History of Byzantium

by Cyril Mango (editor)

The Oxford History of Byzantium is the only history to provide in concise form detailed coverage of Byzantium from its Roman beginnings to the fall of Constantinople and assimilation into the Turkish Empire. Lively essays and beautiful illustrations portray the emergence and development of a distinctive civilization, covering the period from the fourth century to the mid-fifteenth century. The authors - all working at the cutting edge of their particular fields - outline the political history of the Byzantine state and bring to life the evolution of a colourful culture.
In AD 324, the Emperor Constantine the Great chose Byzantion, an ancient Greek colony at the mouth of the Thracian Bosphorous, as his imperial residence. He renamed the place 'Constaninopolis nova Roma', 'Constantinople, the new Rome' and the city (modern Istanbul) became the Eastern capital of the later Roman empire. The new Rome outlived the old and Constantine's successors continued to regard themselves as the legitimate emperors of Rome, just as their subjects called themselves Romaioi, or Romans long after they had forgotten the Latin language. In the sixteenth century, Western humanists gave this eastern Roman empire ruled from Constantinople the epithet 'Byzantine'.
Against a backdrop of stories of emperors, intrigues, battles, and bishops, this Oxford History uncovers the hidden mechanisms - economic, social, and demographic - that underlay the history of events. The authors explore everyday life in cities and villages, manufacture and trade, machinery of government, the church as an instrument of state, minorities, education, literary activity, beliefs and superstitions, monasticism, iconoclasm, the rise of Islam, and the fusion with Western, or Latin, culture. Byzantium linked the ancient and modern worlds, shaping traditions and handing down to both Eastern and Western civilization a vibrant legacy.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Greece, Historical, Ancient, Ancient History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 24, 2002

About the author

Cyril Alexander Mango is a British scholar in the history, art, and architecture of the Byzantine Empire. He is a former King's College London and Oxford professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Language and Literature. He is the brother of Andrew Mango.


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Reviews

[Daniel Stepke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the history of Byzantium that covers all the right spots. Definitely appreciated the chapter on the rise of Christianity the most, but the Palaiologan chapters were quite fascinating as well.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

In spite of Byzantium finally getting its fair share of attention among historians over the last century, good single-volume introductions to the empire are few. John Julian Norwich's A SHORT HISTORY OF BYZANTIUM, an abridgement of his massive popular work in three tomes, is one option. But I was happy to come across THE OXFORD HISTORY OF BYZANTIUM and would recommend this as a good introduction. Each chapter of the OXFORD HISTORY was written by a different scholar, adding some variety to the book and hinting at issues considered contentious among historians. The book is also lavishly illustrated, and being able to see the architectural, urban planning, or artistic achievements of Byzantium gives one a better idea of what made Byzantium special. But what really sets the OXFORD HISTORY apart from Norwich's book is that it isn't formed as a mere dry chronology of rulers. The chapters covering straight-up chronology are four: "The Eastern Empiere from Constantine to Heraclius (306-641)", "The Struggle for Survival (641-780)", "The Medieval Empire (780-1204)", and "Fragmentation (1204-1453)". In between these, there are chapters dedicated to literary achievements, the life of the average man, and other matters that Norwich didn't treat adequately.

The book is not perfect. A number of authors here love pointlessly knocking Orthodox Christianity, curious when Orthodox readers form such a large market for Byzantium items. Also, there is no discussion of the life of women in the empire, which would be interesting to contemporary readers.

[Славея Котова · Rating 1 out of 5]

Това е най-ужасната история на каквото и да било, която съм чела. Като изключим обема, за който все пак знаех преди да я започна, всичко друго беше непредвидимо зле, особено конструкцията на главите. : ))

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fascinating time with so many transitions and tensions, but where are the regular people and the ladies??

[Gavin O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable introduction to Byzantine History.

This work offers a very enjoyable and easy to read insight into world of the Eastern Roman Empire and the continuation of the Roman world as its gradually transformed in late antiquity into a Greek cultural mould and empire, whilst retaining the proud historic and cultural classical tradition.

Throughout the author touches on key themes and topics, from the transformation of the eastern Roman world to a more Greek model in the late antique period, the period of the rise of Islam and contraction of the Empire, the epoch of the Medieval Empire, and the Empires final decline in the late middle ages. Within these historical frames cultural, economic and religious events are detailed and discussed.

In all the reader is left with a very balanced introduction to both the history and society of the Byzantine/Eastern Roman world throughout its long existence. Though only scratching the surface, this book leaves the reader with good grounding and plenty of options as to what period, what element, and what theme they would desire to further there knowledge on with regards to Byzantium. It is a treasure to have on any antiquarian bookshelf.

[Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall Mango does an adequate job in stitching together the individual chapters but for some reason the book still felt a little chopped up. It was perhaps due to the way that they liked to present the “cultural” chapters after the political ones, and that implies for the reader to make his own connections between the political developments and the cultural artifacts of a particular era. In the end it was not a bad book, but I’d probably not recommend it.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been so much better as straight chronological narrative. The book is interspersed with breaks on specific cultural topics, which interrupts the flow of the book

[dantelk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mango is one of the most cited sources for anything attached to Byzantine, and this collective book was not a dissapointment.

As many other similar ones, this book is mainly focused on the political development of this empire, and tries to give a short brief about all the emperors, families, rivals, and all the power struggles. As always, remembering the names and what-did-what requires some concentration (taking notes will help, since names of the emperors repeat themselves, which does not help keeping the connections).

As some other reviewers have already complained, the book is inadequate in focusing on a lower level of live during those times and lives. That said, the authors do mention the scarcity of that sort of written sources from that times.

The collaborative production means that one can read from different specialists of this era, and (mostly!) enjoy their distict writing styles.

Overall, the book is a bit on the short side, and anyone more intrested in Constantinople as the city should give a chance to John Feeely's "The Imperial City".

This book is good as pasta I cook: It will make you full. But you'd rather eat something with more ingredients; at least some more spices.

[Belisarius Carstairs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapters covering 306-780 & 1204-1453 were solid and informative. I didn't expect it, but my interest in the Romans sort of dropped off after the Arabs conquered Syria and Egypt. Then again, the Romans stopped feeling very Roman after Trajan's death (Hadrian changed the way Romans expressed their power, Antonius Pius witnessed disease and the end of Roman prosperity, and Commodus would see to it that the Empire would endure over a century of instability and chaos). After Trajan, there were just a handful of Emperors who stood out to me, like Aurelian, Justinian and Heraclius.

Most of the rest of the chapters drag. The chapter covering 780 - 1204 didn't read well and didn't align with the chronological style that the other chapter had going for them.

[Stefan Walet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the whole period of Byzantine history. It skips some fairly important parts (Manzikert) and has a very strange focus in other parts (such as the commerce chapter, where uninteresting details are given a lot of attention over painting a general picture). It's fairly easy to read. To many pictures if you ask me. I loved the parts on learning and how there was both continuation and rupture with previous Greek thought.

[Carlos Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

《牛津拜占庭史》跟之前介紹的《牛津古羅馬史》是同一系列的，同樣是邀請同領域的各個學者來一起編撰，不過這本較略為不同的是主編者的存在感鮮明。主線是敘述拜占庭國家政治史的，每章後面再穿插些補充時代背景的社會、經濟跟文化的論述，是個不錯的作法。不過，如果說是缺點的話，那就是本書一樣的，廣而不深，頗多東西都是點到為止，比起古羅馬史有一章節讓我稱道，這本就還好，大概就附圖比較多。
另外要批評的是這本書的翻譯吧....
顯然也是教授帶著學生的共同創作，領頭的是頗具聲明的陳志強教授，不過翻譯卻屢見瑕疵，不通順，錯亂的地方。像鼎鼎有名的五賢帝之一的奧理略跟《沉思錄》，偏偏不按通行的翻，硬是來個“馬庫斯的《雅辨書》，要不是有附上英文還真不知道在說哪本，這算是硬傷吧？
看完這本書，忽然想到之前大象出版社也出版過一本N.H.Baynes的《拜占庭：東羅馬文明概論》，坦言之，這本除了圖片之外都略勝過本書，雖然也是同一個人主翻的....
不管怎樣，這本書還是可以推薦給對此方面有興趣但涉入還未深的朋友。

[Brayton Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid and serviceable history from a secular/skeptical perspective, incorporating more recent scholarship than Norwich and focusing more on long-term trends in culture and material factors. It can't match old J.J.'s knack for dishy narrative, but very few authors can, and that's not what it's for. Get both for a balanced perspective.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, for me as a novice re Byzantine. Yet another in a state of stasis as was over ambitious earlier in year. But will complete.
A little know Empire despite its longevity and strategic position, largely not 'owned' by various potential successors due to religion, lack of deemed 'success' and impact, and it's long slow decline.

[Hannah Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last few chapters were not as relevant to me. Truly, the second it hits 1000, everything becomes significantly less interesting for me LOL

First few chapters were really useful and I'll definitely come back to them for reference later. Love the Mangos, truly a power couple of scholarship.

[Bertus Kortus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prima overzichtswerk. Lastig te lezen als één narratief. Biedt ruimte voor eigen onderzoek.

[J]

Greeaaat. Love the visuals. Huge value add.

[DoctorM · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fine one-volume overview of a thousand years of history centered at Constantinople. Very much recommended.

[Michal Pilichowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dość powierzchowne ale dobrze uporządkowane i przyjemne w lekturze opracowanie. Raczej dla osó dopiero zaczynających ten temat.

[JimZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This history provides much more than a chronology of emperors and events of Byzantium. It is filled with exhibits, and contains sections on architecture, education and learning, monasticism, art, literature, commerce, skills, industry, religion, and a focus on Constantinople, among others. The maps are helpful and not too dense so that the modern reader can get a sense of the many territorial changes and foreign rivals over the milllenium-plus covered in the book. I read this book after finishing Prof. Warren Treadgold's 'Concise History of Byzantium,' and I found the two books to be perfect companions.

[Panayiotia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave a brief history of the Byzantine Empire, mentioning religious and political topics. It gives a basic overview, but is not as good as expected because of the amount of page space taken by photographic illustrations. Most of the illustrations are of Eastern icons, which play a major role in parts of the book. "The Oxford History of Byzantium" does not give enough information about the daily life of common people or regional differences. It mainly tells of emperors, archbishops, patriarchs, and Constantinople.

[Reader2007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Byzantium and Islam.

[Spyros · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of academic texts by prominent academics of the field under the umbrella of Cyril Mango. A must for anyone who wants to get a thorough introduction into Byzantine studies .

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a series of essays about the history and culture of the Byzantine Empire. It provides an excellent introduction to someone without a lot of familiarity with the subject.