Margins and Metropolis: Authority across the Byzantine Empire

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Princeton University Press, Mar 18, 2013 - History - 392 pages

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 was reflected in the military, civilian, and ecclesiastical officials sent out to govern the provinces. She evokes the ideology and culture of the center by examining different aspects of the imperial court, including diplomacy, ceremony, intellectual life, and relations with the church. Particular topics treat the transmission of mathematical manuscripts, the burning of offensive material, and the church's role in distributing philanthropy.

Herrin contrasts life in the capital with provincial life, tracing the adaptation of a largely rural population to rule by Constantinople from the early medieval period onward. The letters of Michael Choniates, archbishop of Athens from 1182 to 1205, offer a detailed account of how this highly educated cleric coped with life in an imperial backwater, and demonstrate a synthesis of ancient Greek culture and medieval Christianity that was characteristic of the Byzantine elite.

This collection of essays spans the entirety of Herrin's influential career and draws together a significant body of scholarship on problems of empire. It features a general introduction, two previously unpublished essays, and a concise introduction to each essay that describes how it came to be written and how it fits into her broader analysis of the unusual brilliance and longevity of Byzantium.

 

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Margins and Metropolis: Authority Across the Byzantine Empire
Judith Herrin
Limited preview - 2013
Margins and Metropolis: Authority Across the Byzantine Empire
Judith Herrin
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Common terms and phrases

administration Ahrweiler Alexios ancient Arab Arethas Athens authority became bishops book burning Bulgars burning Byzance Byzantine Empire Byzantium Cambridge canons capital central Greece charity Christian church condemned Constantine Constantine VII Constantinople copy Corinth Crete Diophantus documents earlier early East Eastern ecclesiastical Ecumenical Council eighth century emperor established factions forces Frankish governor Greek Gregory Hagios Hellas and Peloponnesos hellenization Herrin History Holy Ibid iconoclasm icons imperial island Justinian Justinian II Kythera later Latin Leo’s letter Mango manuscripts medieval megas doux metropolitan Michael Choniates military monastery monastic Monemvasia monks Monothelete naval Nikephoros ninth century Notitia officials organization pagan palace Palaiochora Parastaseis Paris Patras Patriarch Peloponnesos pentarchy Philippikos Photios Pope provincial recorded reign role Roman Rome rulers Saint seventh century Sicily siècle Slavs suffragan Thebes thema Theophanes Thessalonike tion tradition trans twelfth century Update Venetian West Western

About the author (2013)

Judith Herrin is professor emeritus in the Department of Classics at King’s College London. Her books include Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe; Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire; Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium; Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium; and The Formation of Christendom (all Princeton). She lives in Oxford, England.

Bibliographic information

TitleMargins and Metropolis: Authority across the Byzantine Empire
AuthorJudith Herrin
Editionreprint
PublisherPrinceton University Press, 2013
ISBN140084522X, 9781400845224
Length392 pages
Subjects ›  › 

History / Europe / Greece
History / Europe / Medieval
  
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