Byzantine Civilization

Harvard FAS

The Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire outlived the fall of Rome by a thousand years. In what ways did Byzantium preserve the institutions and politics of imperial Rome? In what ways was it a medieval civilization? How did Byzantium's professional armies, able diplomats, and brilliant intellectuals ensure its survival and renewed expansion? This course traces the story of the Byzantine Empire between c. 600 and 1453, setting it in the context of medieval and world history.