A History of the Later Roman Empire
From Arcadius to Irene (395 A.D. to 800 A.D)

This two-volume 1889 work examines Byzantine history from the division of the empire in 395 to 800.

J. B. Bury (Author)

9781108083188, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 5 March 2015

608 pages
21.6 x 14 x 3.4 cm, 0.76 kg

The classical historian J. B. Bury (1861–1927) was the author of a history of Greece which was a standard textbook for over a century. He also wrote on later periods, and, in this two-volume work of 1889, examines Byzantine history from 395 to 800. Arguing for the underlying continuity of the Roman empire from the time of Augustus until 1453, Bury nevertheless begins his account in the year in which, on the death of Theodosius I, the empire was divided into eastern and western parts, and Constantinople began to take on the metropolitan role formerly held by Rome. Volume 2, after reviewing Justinian's legacy, takes the history down from the accession of Justin II to the death of Irene in 803. Topics examined include civil strife, including the period of iconoclasm, and the increasing problems of maintaining the imperial borders against incursions from both east and west.

Book IV, Part I continued. The House of Justin: 11. Justinian's Caesaropapism
12. The slaves
13. Changes in the provincial administration
14. The geography of Europe at the end of Justinian's reign
15. Byzantine art
16. Notes on the manners, industries, and commerce in the age of Justinian
Book IV, Part 2. The Collapse of Justinian's System: 1. Justin II and Tiberius II
2. Maurice
3. The Persian war (572–591 AD)
4. Slaves and Avars in Illyricum and Thrace
5. The Lombards in Italy
6. The empire and the Franks
7. The language of the Romaioi in the sixth century
8. Literature of the sixth century
Book V. The House of Heraclius: 1. Phocas
2. Heraclius (610–622 AD)
3. The Persian war
4. Monotheletism
5. Literature in the reign of Heraclius
6. Dismemberment of the empire by the Saracens
7. The Slavonic settlements in Illyricum and Thrace
8. Constans II
9. Constantine IV
10. Justinian II
11. Foundation of the Bulgarian kingdom
12. Origin of the system of themes
13. Twenty years of anarchy
14. Social and religious decay in the seventh century
Book VI. The House of Leo the Isaurian: 1. The repulse of the Saracens
2. The administration of Leo III
3. The iconoclastic movement
4. Imperial Italy in the eighth century
5. Constantine V
6. Iconoclastic policy of Constantine
7. Bulgaria
8. Leo IV
9. Constantine VI and Irene
10. The reaction against iconoclasm
11. The popes, the Lombards, and the Franks
12. The geographical aspect of Europe at the end of the eighth century
13. Society in the eighth century
14. Conclusion
Index.

Subject Areas: Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]