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rider
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Topic: Favourite Period of Byzantine History Posted: 19-Aug-2006 at 16:40 |
No primary Byzantine authors? I am disappointed in you; I would have
thought that the Alexiad and Chronographies would be the first to read.
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Jazz
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Posted: 19-Aug-2006 at 18:15 |
For me it is the era of the invasions (Germanic to Arab) that marked the change from antiquity to medieval.
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The Germanic migrations
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The disintegration of power in the West
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Justinian's reconquest
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Mauriakos and the Avars
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The Bubonic plague
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Heraclius and the Persian Wars
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Final breakdown of Meditteranean unity with the rise of Islam
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Nestorian
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 09:05 |
Definitely 640 - 1071, provide a good lesson in how to survive against the odds.
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vulkan02
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 12:15 |
Unfortunately its very hard for me to read on the computer and I always fight with my brother for its use hehe. Ill probably choose one from the list that Byz. emperor provided but thanks for taking your time trying to make me jump the bandwagon . To Byz. emperor, I find John Haldon's book very appealing from the title it has. What do you suggest?
Edited by vulkan02 - 20-Aug-2006 at 12:19
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The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief - Le Bon
Destroy first and construction will look after itself - Mao
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Byzantine Emperor
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 13:40 |
Originally posted by vulkan02
To Byz. emperor, I find John Haldon's book very appealing from the title it has. What do you suggest? |
Yes, it is a good place to start for the military history of the period. Use Ostrogorsky or Treadgold to supplement it, for the political history.
Originally posted by rider
No primary Byzantine authors? I am disappointed in you; I would have thought that the Alexiad and Chronographies would be the first to read. |
Translations of the primary sources are okay, but it is more fun to read them in the Greek!
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Herschel
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 14:44 |
How close is Modern Greek to Medieval Greek? If someone were to learn the Greek language, would it help them in reading ancient Byzantine texts?
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BlindOne
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 15:52 |
Originally posted by Herschel
How close is Modern Greek to Medieval Greek? If someone were to learn the Greek language, would it help them in reading ancient Byzantine texts? |
Not big changes, i can easily understant a Byzantine text.
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That I am stricken and can't let you go
When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know
That I am crippled by all that you've done
Into the abyss, will I run
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vulkan02
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Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 23:07 |
Ok i went to Barnes and Noble today and i found A short History of Byzantium by Norwich which essentially is a summary of his previous three volume work written by the same author. I didn't want to get too into it right away so I got this. I think its about 300 pages total, hopefully it goes into detail summarizing military campaigns as well because i find that more exciting rather than just detailing plain everyday history.
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The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief - Le Bon
Destroy first and construction will look after itself - Mao
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Herschel
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Posted: 21-Aug-2006 at 00:42 |
Hmmm....The book doesn't really go into great detail about military campaigns. His writing style is great at condensing the big picture into managable bites, but he usually focuses on the political and religious environment of the empire. I don't know if you've read "The Fall of Constantinople, 1453" by Steven Runciman, but it goes into great military detail and it is oh-so gripping.
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Byzantine Emperor
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Posted: 21-Aug-2006 at 01:13 |
Originally posted by vulkan02
Ok i went to Barnes and Noble today and i found A short History of Byzantium by Norwich which essentially is a summary of his previous three volume work written by the same author. I didn't want to get too into it right away so I got this. I think its about 300 pages total, hopefully it goes into detail summarizing military campaigns as well because i find that more exciting rather than just detailing plain everyday history. |
I agree with Herschel about Norwich's book(s). He is good to start out with a general, non-scholarly introduction on the cultural and social history of Byzantium, with a little politics and military action thrown in.
For informative surveys of Byzantine history, go with Ostrogorsky and Treadgold. For military, stick with Treadgold's army book, Haldon, and Bartusis. All of these titles are available on Amazon.com and B&N.com.
Originally posted by Herschel
How close is Modern Greek to Medieval Greek? If someone were to learn the Greek language, would it help them in reading ancient Byzantine texts? |
Like BlindOne said, it is close in ways. I have heard this from Greek speakers as well. I do not know Modern Greek. My background is purely classical Greek - Plato, Xenophon, Herodotus, etc. Once I started on the Byzantine Greek histories, it was not that bad at all. Most Byzantine authors emulate and outright copy the great Attic Greek authors, especially Thucydides.
With Byzantine documentary sources, it is slightly different. The language is much more formulaic and sometimes closer to demotic Greek. The strictly classical interpretations and definitions of words, as well as the grammar, becomes less specific and more generalized. For instance, there seemingly hundreds of ways to translate prepositions like kata, meta, and dia.
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xristar
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Posted: 24-Aug-2006 at 05:21 |
Spoken byzantine greek is very similar to modern greek (in fact it is considered that the modern greek language took its form in the 9th century).
Written byzantine greek is different, as byz emperor said, byzantine authors try to immitate the classical greek language.
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Defeat allows no explanation
Victory needs none.
It insults the dead when you treat life carelessly.
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Jazz
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Posted: 28-Aug-2006 at 16:39 |
Originally posted by BlindOne
Not big changes, i can easily understant a Byzantine text. |
Really? That close?
Ok, I took a picture of some Greek inscriptions on the Sea Walls in
Istanbul (near the location of the former Buceleon Palace). It
might only be a sentence fragment, and it probably is from the early
"Byzantine" era, but I'll find it and upload it for you (or anyone
else) to translate.
Edited by Jazz - 28-Aug-2006 at 16:41
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Red_Lord
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Posted: 06-Sep-2006 at 07:55 |
As a bulgar my favourite periods are when Byzantia is not so
strong(then we were strong).But I think 717-718 and common defence of
Constantinopol(agains islamic armies of arabians) is a great part from our and Byzantine history.
Edited by Red_Lord - 06-Sep-2006 at 07:59
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"The slave is fighting for freedom,free is fighting for perfectness"
Yane Sandanski
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Red_Lord
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Posted: 06-Sep-2006 at 08:04 |
Originally posted by Herschel
"The Fall of Constantinople, 1453" by Steven Runciman,
but it goes into great military detail and it is oh-so gripping.
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The book is really god but there is only or 3 or 4 maps(I have read it
long time before)And without good map it is really difficult to
understand military operations.But YES the book is very good.
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"The slave is fighting for freedom,free is fighting for perfectness"
Yane Sandanski
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Constantine XI
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Posted: 06-Sep-2006 at 08:16 |
Originally posted by Red_Lord
As a bulgar my favourite periods are when Byzantia is not so
strong(then we were strong).But I think 717-718 and common defence of
Constantinopol(agains islamic armies of arabians) is a great part from our and Byzantine history.
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You do have to give the Bulgars credit for assisting the Byzantines in
that conflict, it was a smart move which ensured their own survival for
centuries to come. Infact, this is one event where the Bulgars helped
achieve one of the most decisive victories in world history.
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vulkan02
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Posted: 07-Sep-2006 at 12:31 |
Khan Ortumag also helped emperor Micheal defeat rebel Thomas the Slav's army which seriously threatened the stability of the empire with the greatest insurrection of its history around the late 800's.
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The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief - Le Bon
Destroy first and construction will look after itself - Mao
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Preobrazhenskoe
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Posted: 10-Sep-2006 at 00:32 |
I chose the second era. Come on people! The reigns of Justinian the Great and Maurice! It just can't be beat. Lol.
Eric
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Kapikulu
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Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 06:24 |
I voted for 476-640...For Byzantines had kind of an unmatched and uncontested glory especially in time of Justinian..
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We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;
A Strange Orhan Veli
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Justinian
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Posted: 11-Sep-2006 at 14:12 |
Well of course I had to vote for the age of Justinian (476-640), although I gave serious thought about voting for the 640-1071 period the rise of Islam or the glory days of the Komnenus dynasty 1071-1185.
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Knights
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Posted: 25-Oct-2006 at 08:35 |
Me personally, I think that the 476AD-640AD period in Byzantine history is very fascinating, and possibly my favourite. The campaigns of Narses and Belisarius are very interesting, but not to be outdone later on in this period by the antics of Heraclius (namely his Sassanian Wars). Various legal, civil and economic achievements also take my interest, such as the rebuilding of the Hagia Sophia under Justinian I in the 530's and the revision of the ancient roman law code, the corpus juris civilis. The era of Basil II is probably equally favourable to me - because of the fact that the Byzantines were probably at their peak under his rule - however I can only vote for one period
Edited by Knights - 25-Oct-2006 at 08:44
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