Byzantium: Greatness and Decline

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Introduction xi BOOK ONE. EVOLUTION OF BYZANTINE HISTORY I. The Shaping of the Eastern Empire 5 1. The Empire from the Foundation of Constantinople to the Beginning of the Sixth Century • The Reign of Justinian (518-565) • 2. Reorganization of the Empire of the East The Changes of the Seventh Century (610- 717) • The Isaurian Dynasty (717-867) II. From Climax to Fall (867-1453) 13 1. The Macedonian Dynasty (867-1081) 2. Resurgence of the Empire under the Comneni (1081-1204) • 3. The Empire under the Palaeologi (1261-1453) BOOK TWO. ELEMENTS OF POWER I. Government 27 1. Origins and Nature of Imperial Power • 2. External Forms of Imperial Autocracy 3. The Extent of Imperial Power • 4. The Limits of Imperial Power • 5. The Life of an Emperor • 6. The Strength of the Imperial System II. The Army and the Defence of the Monarchy 40 1. Composition of the Army. Recruitment • Mercenaries 2. The Qualities of the Byzantine Army and Its Place in Society • 3. The Defects of the Military Organization • The Generals • 4. Frontier Forces and Defence • Frontier Warfare 5. The Navy Asia - Dislocation of the Empire in the Thirteenth Century • The Ruin of the Empire under the Palaeologi VIII. Byzantium and the West 211 1. Religious Reasons The Political Rift between Byzantium and Rome • The Religious Breach • 2. Political Factors • 3. Commercial Factors • The Fourth Crusade and Its Consequences • 4. Byzantium and the West in the Period of the Palaeologi BOOK FOUR. BYZANTIUM'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD I. Byzantine Civilization 227 1. The Classical Tradition • The Stamp of Christianity • Contact with the East • 2. Trends of Thought • History • Theology • Trends in Philosophy • Rhetoric and Eloquence • Variety in Byzantine Thought • Characteristics of Byzantine Literature • 3. Development of Byzantine Art • 4. Byzantine Life II. The Spread of Orthodoxy and the Formation of the Slavic World 261 1. Byzantium and the Slavic World • Byzantium and Bulgaria - Byzantium and Russia • Byzantium and Serbia • Byzantium and Rumania • 2. Byzantium and the Asiatic East III. The Spread of Byzantine Civilization in the West 276 1. Causes of Byzantine Influence • 2. Byzantium and Western Art • 3. Byzantium's Intellectual Influence on the West Conclusion. Byzantium's Heritage 289 1. Byzantium and the Turks • Byzantium and Hellenism • 2. Byzantium and Russia • 3. Byzantium and Balkan Ambitions Bibliographical Note 301 Index 358