This collection of essays on the Byzantine culture of war in the period between the 4th and the 12th centuries offers a new critical approach to the study of warfare as a fundamental aspect of East Roman society and culture in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The book’s main goal is to provide a critical overview of current research as well as new insights into the role of military organization as a distinct form of social power in one of history’s more long-lived empires. The various chapters consider the political, ideological, practical, institutional and organizational aspects of Byzantine warfare and place it at the centre of the study of social and cultural history.
Contributors are Salvatore Cosentino, Michael Grünbart, Savvas Kyriakidis, Tilemachos Lounghis, Christos Makrypoulias, Stamatina McGrath, Philip Rance, Paul Stephenson, Yannis Stouraitis, Denis Sullivan, and Georgios Theotokis.
Yannis Stouraitis, Ph.D (2007), is Lecturer of Byzantine history at the University of Edinburgh. He has various publications on the history of Byzantium, including Krieg und Frieden in der politishen und ideologischen Wahrnehmung in Byzanz (7.-11. Jahrhundert) (Vienna 2009).
''In conclusione, il volume è sicuramente utile sotto diversi aspetti, in un campo, quale quello degli studi sulla guerra, di importanza fondamentale per la comprensione della civiltà bizantina''. Arturo Mariano Iannace in Medioevo Greco , 19 (2019).
Contents
List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors
Introduction: Military Power in the Christian Roman Empire, c. 300-1204 Yannis Stouraitis
Part 1: The Mentality of War
1 The Imperial Theology of Victory Paul Stephenson
2 State War Ethic and Popular Views on Warfare Yannis Stouraitis
3 Civil War in the Christian Empire Yannis Stouraitis
4 The Enemies of the Empire: Portrayed Images Michael Grünbart
5 Warfare as Literary Narrative Stamatina McGrath
6 Alternative Means of Conflict Resolution Tilemachos Lounghis
Part 2: Warfare as Socio-Political Praxis
7 Army Structure: Roman Continuity and Byzantine Change Savvas Kyriakidis
8 Byzantine Fronts and Strategies 300-1204 Denis Sullivan
9 Naval Warfare: Military, Institutional and Economic Aspects Salvatore Cosentino
10 Siege Warfare: The Art of Re-Capture Christos G. Makrypoulias
11 The Army in Peace Time: Social Status and the Function of Soldiers Philip Rance
12 Military Technology: Production and Use of Weapons Georgios Theotokis
General Bibliography Index
All students of or interested in the history of the Byzantine Empire as well historians of warfare.