Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081

by Warren Treadgold

The Byzantine Empire was almost always ready to fight, and often fought for its life. During much of its history its provinces were military districts called themes, and acclamation by the army, not coronation or inheritance, was what made a man emperor. The army overthrew twenty-odd rulers, and tried to oust many more. It was large and expansive but on the whole it served its purpose well. Over eight centuries, despite losing a surprising number of battles, the army succeeded in preserving both itself and Byzantium. In view of its importance in Byzantine history, it is surprising that this volume is the first general book on the Byzantine army in any language.

The author traces the army’s impact on the Byzantine state and society from the army’s reorganization under Diocletian (284-305) until its disintegration in the aftermath of the battle of Manzikert (1071). He suggests solutions to some major unresolved questions of Byzantine military how big was the army, how was it organized, how much of it was cavalry, how much was it paid, how was it supplied, when and why did it receive land grants in the themes, and why, after surviving so many disasters, did it fail to survive the not particularly disastrous eleventh century?

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Military Fiction

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Warren Treadgold (AB Harvard, 1970, PhD Harvard, 1977) has taught ancient and medieval history and literature at UCLA, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Hillsdale College, and Florida International University and is now National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies at Saint Louis University.

Reviews

[Ton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned this book at the halfway point. Too dreary, and author's droning on about numbers doesn't help. Author thrashes colleagues for wishful thinking or ignorance, yet equally bases his own argument on assumption and surprisingly narrow reading of sources.

[Spyros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because it’s the only book of its kind which offers so specific information about the Eastern Roman armies . The amount of collected data and their organization into a book structure deserve an applause on their own .

[Александър Стоянов · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bench-mark study of Byzantium's military history.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dry but formidible work of history.

[Chance Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of, if not the best, academic books on the military of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). A must-have for any student of history.

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to its collapse and dissolution in the late 11th century due to a few decades of hideously idiotic neglect and mismanagement, the Byzantine army represented a continuation of the Roman legions that had originally won the empire. Through this time, it evolved, adapted, waxed and waned in size, mission, and effectiveness, but always served the empire reasonably well and kept it from collapse despite myriad threats, including, from the seventh century on, hostile neighbors with vastly more powerful armies to call upon. This slim, incisive volume, a companion to Treadgold's wonderful "History of the Byzantine State and Society", is a valuable description of how the army changed over the centuries in terms of its structure, funding, pay, size, and relationship to the state and broader society. For what could be a dry subject, it's also quite readable. The army was an integral part of the Byzantine empire, and a major reason why it lasted as long as it did. The empire simply cannot be understood without understanding its army, and this book is an essential part of gaining that understanding.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent little book and Dr. Treadgold's writing style makes it eminently suitable for the non-specialist looking for information on the Byzantine army prior to the 11th century. This is not a historical narrative, and contains narrative only as a means to expand on the concepts and surveys that Dr. Treadgold is trying to impart. The author surveys the changes in the Roman army made by Diocletian and the establishment of the themes by Constans II. Additionally, he addresses the issues surrounding the sources, such as reliance on the Notitia Dignitatum, as well as Zosimus. He also does a good job in tracing the changes in structure from the old legions to a thematibus-based force. There are lots of other things to like about this book, and the bibliography is top notch. This is the book to start with before reading any of the other specialized books on the Byzantine army.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing discussion of the transformation of the Late Roman army into the Byzantine Army. The chapter on numbers is worth the book alone.

I am constantly surprised that this book is not more well known. Treadgold's insights into the strengths of Late Roman field armies can be used to interpolate the same in the earlier Principate.

I remain really impressed with this book.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read reviews complaining that the book is too scholarly, just be aware these people aren't reviewing it for what it is, but for what they wanted it to be in their head canon. This book is the foundation of modern analysis of the late antique and medieval Roman army.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of an accounting of the Byzantine Army; manpower, cost, etc...

[Frank Thun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Byzantium is fascinating, but this book is rather matter of fact, not too colorful