The Roman Empire (long since ruled from Constantinople) was in a perilous and tumultuous position in the early eighth century. Surrounded by expansionist enemies, most notably the Muslim Arab Umayyad Caliphate but also the Khazars, Slavs, Avars, Bulgars and Lombards, it was also riven by religious controversy and internal political instability. When a plot brought Leo III to the throne in 717, he was the fourth Emperor since Justinian II’s assassination six years earlier. Within weeks of his accession he was faced with the year-long siege of his capital by the Arabs. The siege was eventually broken (with the help of the secret weapon, Greek fire) but was only the first of many crises Leo faced in his twenty-four-year reign. His tenure saw a number of rebellions, and Peter Crawford considers how Leo dealt with these (and the extent to which his own policies caused them). Space is given to the great religious development of his reign, the initiation of Iconoclasm, its impact on the empire and its tainting of the reputation of Leo and much of his dynasty. He also considers various aspects of Leo’s administration: coinage, provincial infrastructure, civil law and foreign policy. This is a thorough and fascinating reassessment of a ruler who brought the Empire from the brink of extinction and maintained it through a time of real crisis.

The Roman Empire (long since ruled from Constantinople) was in a perilous and tumultuous position in the early eighth century. Surrounded by expansionist enemies, most notably the Muslim Arab Umayyad Caliphate but also the Khazars, Slavs, Avars, Bulgars and Lombards, it was also riven by religious controversy and internal political instability. When a plot brought Leo III to the throne in 717, he was the fourth Emperor since Justinian II’s assassination six years earlier. Within weeks of his accession he was faced with the year-long siege of his capital by the Arabs. The siege was eventually broken (with the help of the secret weapon, Greek fire) but was only the first of many crises Leo faced in his twenty-four-year reign. His tenure saw a number of rebellions, and Peter Crawford considers how Leo dealt with these (and the extent to which his own policies caused them). Space is given to the great religious development of his reign, the initiation of Iconoclasm, its impact on the empire and its tainting of the reputation of Leo and much of his dynasty. He also considers various aspects of Leo’s administration: coinage, provincial infrastructure, civil law and foreign policy. This is a thorough and fascinating reassessment of a ruler who brought the Empire from the brink of extinction and maintained it through a time of real crisis.

An accessible and innovative introductory study of Byzantine law in its wider societal context under the Macedonian dynasty.

This revised and expanded edition of the widely-praised A History of Byzantium covers the time of Constantine the Great in AD 306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Expands treatment of the middle and later Byzantine periods, incorporating new archaeological evidence Includes additional maps and photographs, and a newly annotated, updated bibliography Incorporates a new section on web resources for Byzantium studies Demonstrates that Byzantium was important in its own right but also served as a bridge between East and West and ancient and modern society Situates Byzantium in its broader historical context with a new comparative timeline and textboxes

This volume brings into being the field of Byzantine intellectual history. Shifting focus from the cultural, social, and economic study of Byzantium to the life and evolution of ideas in their context, it provides an authoritative history of intellectual endeavors from Late Antiquity to the fifteenth century. At its heart lie the transmission, transformation, and shifts of Hellenic, Christian, and Byzantine ideas and concepts as exemplified in diverse aspects of intellectual life, from philosophy, theology, and rhetoric to astrology, astronomy, and politics. Case studies introduce the major players in Byzantine intellectual life, and particular emphasis is placed on the reception of ancient thought and its significance for secular as well as religious modes of thinking and acting. New insights are offered regarding controversial, understudied, or promising topics of research, such as philosophy and medical thought in Byzantium, and intellectual exchanges with the Arab world.

This book is a convenient historical reference that may be used by Sunday school Teachers, Clergy, and others who have a general interest in people, places, and historical events in Christianity through the last two thousand years. The items in this book (over 2100) are arranged in chronological order and includes Apostles, Evangelists, Reform Leaders, Martyrs, Emperors, Popes and Antipopes, Bible versions, well known hymns, renowned Cathedrals, Patron Saints, Holy Mary apparitions, Scholars, Colleges and Universities, Crusades, major events and much more.

Byzantium lasted a thousand years, ruled to the end by self-styled 'emperors of the Romans'. It underwent kaleidoscopic territorial and structural changes, yet recovered repeatedly from disaster: even after the near-impregnable Constantinople fell in 1204, variant forms of the empire reconstituted themselves. The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire c.500-1492 tells the story, tracing political and military events, religious controversies and economic change. It offers clear, authoritative chapters on the main events and periods, with more detailed chapters on outlying regions and neighbouring societies and powers of Byzantium. With aids such as maps, a glossary, an alternative place-name table and references to English translations of sources, it will be valuable as an introduction. However, it also offers stimulating new approaches and important findings, making it essential reading for postgraduates and for specialists. The revised paperback edition contains a new preface by the editor and will offer an invaluable companion to survey courses in Byzantine history.

“A very useful read for anyone interested in the Later Roman Empire, the fall of the Western Empire, and the emergence of the Byzantine State.” —The NYMAS Review Peter Crawford examines the life and career of the fifth-century Roman emperor Zeno and the various problems he faced before and during his seventeen-year rule. Despite its length, his reign has hitherto been somewhat overlooked as being just a part of that gap between the Theodosian and Justinianic dynasties of the Eastern Roman Empire which is comparatively poorly furnished with historical sources. Reputedly brought in as a counterbalance to the generals who had dominated Constantinopolitan politics at the end of the Theodosian dynasty, the Isaurian Zeno quickly had to prove himself adept at dealing with the harsh realities of imperial power. Zeno’s life and reign is littered with conflict and politicking with various groups—the enmity of both sides of his family; dealing with the fallout of the collapse of the Empire of Attila in Europe, especially the increasingly independent tribal groups established on the frontiers of, and even within, imperial territory; the end of the Western Empire; and the continuing religious strife within the Roman world. As a result, his reign was an eventful and significant one that deserves this long-overdue spotlight. “Crawford’s work on the life and reign of Zeno is a good introduction for a general audience to the complexities of the late fifth-century Roman Empire, telling a series of long and complex stories compellingly in a traditional fashion.” —Bryn Mawr Classical Review

This book is a handy historical reference that may be used by Sunday school teachers, divinity students, clergy and others who have a general interest in people, places and events in Christianity throughout the last two thousand years. The items (over 2100) are arranged in chronological order and includes Apostles, Evangelists, Reform Leaders, Martyrs, Emperors, Popes and Antipopes, Bible Versions, well known hymns, renowned Cathedrals, Patron Saints, Holy Mary apparitions, Scholars, Colleges and Universities, Crusades, major events and much more.