The Lost World of Byzantium

De: Jonathan Harris

Narrado por: Gareth Richards

The acclaimed author of Byzantium and the Crusades "offers a fresh take on this fabled but hidden civilization" across eleven centuries of history (Colin Wells).

For more than a millennium, the Byzantine Empire presided over the juncture between East and West, as well as the transition from the classical to the modern world. Rather than recounting the standard chronology of emperors and battles, leading Byzantium scholar Jonathan Harris focuses on a succession of archetypal figures, families, places, and events.

Harris's introduction presents a civilization rich in contrasts, combining orthodox Christianity with paganism, and classical Greek learning with Roman power. Though frequently assailed by numerous armies, Byzantium survived by dint of its unorthodox foreign policy. Over time, its sumptuous art and architecture flourished, helping to establish a deep sense of Byzantine identity in its people.

Synthesizing a wealth of sources to cover all major aspects of the empire's social, political, military, religious, cultural, and artistic history, Harris's study illuminates the heart of Byzantine civilization and explores its remarkable and lasting influence on the modern world.

©2015 Jonathan Harris (P)2023 Tantor

a survey of Byzantium

overall a great review of the history of Byzantium with many smaller details I'd never known. the narrator leaves much to be desired in my opinion, something about the pace and almost nasalish inflection at times maybe, I'm not certain what it is honestly. either way, loved the book will certainly get a physical copy.