In the eighth and ninth centuries, three Byzantine empresses--Irene, Euphrosyne, and Theodora--changed history. Their combined efforts restored the veneration of icons, saving Byzantium from a purely symbolic and decorative art and ensuring its influence for centuries to come.In this exhilarating an[...]

In a lucid history of what used to be termed "the Dark Ages," Judith Herrin outlines the origins of Europe from the end of late antiquity to the coronation of Charlemagne. She shows that the clash between nascent Islam and stubburn Byzantium was the central contest that allowed "Europe" to develop, [...]

This volume explores the political, cultural, and ecclesiastical forces that linked the metropolis of Byzantium to the margins of its far-flung empire. Focusing on the provincial region of Hellas and Peloponnesos in central and southern Greece, Judith Herrin shows how the prestige of Constantinople [...]

När Rom efter barbarinvasionerna förvandlats till en stor bondby med betande getter på Capitolium bodde en halv miljon människor i Konstantinopel där de kunde gå på stenlagda gator och använda rinnande vatten. Filosofer, vetenskapsmän och författare arbetade i palatsbiblioteket.