The origins of great civilizations can be cradles of wonders, mysteries and valuable lessons. It is because of the latter that we spend time and resources educating our children about the past. This book is one of the best sources of knowledge on the Byzantine Empire. So what are you waiting for? Let your child learn the lessons of the past. Start reading today!

The origins of great civilizations can be cradles of wonders, mysteries and valuable lessons. It is because of the latter that we spend time and resources educating our children about the past. This book is one of the best sources of knowledge on the Byzantine Empire. So what are you waiting for? Let your child learn the lessons of the past. Start reading today!

The Early Middle Ages, the 500 years following the fall of Rome, was a violent time of invasion and war that saw the breakdown of society. Yet, this period saw important social and political changes, leading first to the civilization of the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance and then to modern western culture.

Byzantium. The name evokes grandeur and exoticism—gold, cunning, and complexity. In this unique book, Judith Herrin unveils the riches of a quite different civilization. Avoiding a standard chronological account of the Byzantine Empire's millennium—long history, she identifies the fundamental questions about Byzantium—what it was, and what special significance it holds for us today. Bringing the latest scholarship to a general audience in accessible prose, Herrin focuses each short chapter around a representative theme, event, monument, or historical figure, and examines it within the full sweep of Byzantine history—from the foundation of Constantinople, the magnificent capital city built by Constantine the Great, to its capture by the Ottoman Turks. She argues that Byzantium's crucial role as the eastern defender of Christendom against Muslim expansion during the early Middle Ages made Europe—and the modern Western world—possible. Herrin captivates us with her discussions of all facets of Byzantine culture and society. She walks us through the complex ceremonies of the imperial court. She describes the transcendent beauty and power of the church of Hagia Sophia, as well as chariot races, monastic spirituality, diplomacy, and literature. She reveals the fascinating worlds of military usurpers and ascetics, eunuchs and courtesans, and artisans who fashioned the silks, icons, ivories, and mosaics so readily associated with Byzantine art. An innovative history written by one of our foremost scholars, Byzantium reveals this great civilization's rise to military and cultural supremacy, its spectacular destruction by the Fourth Crusade, and its revival and final conquest in 1453.

Excerpt from The Byzantine Empire: The Rearguard of European Civilization Roman Empire. There is at present, I believe, no book on the subject in the English language between Professor Oman's sketch in the 'story of the Nations' series and monumental works like those of Gibbon, Finlay, and Bury. The Early Middle Age of Europe has always had a fascination for me, and on the wonderful story of the Byzantine' Empire I have concentrated much atten tion. When, therefore, Mr. Gordon Home broached the idea of the present volume, I readily undertook the task, believing that a knowledge of what was required, combined with a real enthusiasm for my subject, might enable me to produce a book which would fill the gap. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Middle Ages were a very interesting time because of so many changes that came after the collapses of the Roman Empire. There were different leaders who tries to implement changes in societal and economic systems. Architecture, literature and culture were molded during these times. Read up on some more controversial information about these times. Open this book today!