Review by Choice Review
The book is basically a history of the Byzantine Empire. The focus is on a standard question: how did such a creaky political entity manage to survive for more than a thousand years, and even in certain periods flourish? Inevitably, Harris (Royal Holloway, Univ. of London) devotes much discussion to military successes and defeats--strategy, aims, the organization of the army, the financing of campaigns, and the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Nonetheless, the narrative includes more than an adequate survey of religious affairs and the governance of the state, with particular attention to social cohesion. The volume presents little that is new, but the first chapter is noteworthy for an interesting overview of the fate of paganism in the Late Roman Empire, with particular attention to the writings of a pagan author named Zosimus. It is refreshing to hear the opinion of a devotee of the old religion about Christianity. Harris is an efficient writer with an eye for entertaining detail, and as a result, the volume can be read with pleasure by general readers and younger students. It is not recommended for specialists. Summing Up: Recommended. General, public and undergraduate libraries. --John W. Nesbitt, Dumbarton Oaks
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Harris (The End of Byzantium), professor of the history of Byzantium at the University of London, challenges the commonplace view of the Byzantine empire as a forgettable relic. He contends that the empire, which endured for over 1000 years, was one of history's most incredible institutions. Chronicling Byzantium's cultural, political, and military achievements, he asks, "If its inhabitants really were so utterly supine and pathetic that they were incapable of defending themselves, then why did their society last so long?" Drawing on a diverse array of sources from numerous disciplines, Harris presents an accessible introduction to the major personalities, important disputes, and defining events of the Byzantine polity. Though the empire stretched for millions of square miles, the bulk of the action takes place within the walls of Constantinople, the unshakeable lodestar of Byzantine life. Harris identifies Constantinople's centripetal force as the seed of the empire's destruction. As palace-educated ministers and intellectuals neglected the provinces and dreaded postings in the hinterland, the administration increasingly depended on Latin mercenaries-an alluring, if dangerous, stopgap that turned disastrous as the empire lost the ability to finance them. Casual readers as well as specialists will appreciate Harris's insightful and well-informed paean to an intriguing and resilient culture. Maps. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
