The Lost World of Byzantium

Jonathan Harris

Aug 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Gareth Richards

About this audiobook

The acclaimed author of Byzantium and the Crusades "offers a fresh take on this fabled but hidden civilization" across eleven centuries of history (Colin Wells). For more than a millennium, the Byzantine Empire presided over the juncture between East and West, as well as the transition from the classical to the modern world. Rather than recounting the standard chronology of emperors and battles, leading Byzantium scholar Jonathan Harris focuses on a succession of archetypal figures, families, places, and events. Harris's introduction presents a civilization rich in contrasts, combining orthodox Christianity with paganism, and classical Greek learning with Roman power. Though frequently assailed by numerous armies, Byzantium survived by dint of its unorthodox foreign policy. Over time, its sumptuous art and architecture flourished, helping to establish a deep sense of Byzantine identity in its people. Synthesizing a wealth of sources to cover all major aspects of the empire's social, political, military, religious, cultural, and artistic history, Harris's study illuminates the heart of Byzantine civilization and explores its remarkable and lasting influence on the modern world.

About the author

Jonathan Harris is professor of the history of Byzantium at Royal Holloway, University of London. He lives in London.

Gareth Richards has been narrating audiobooks for over three years in addition to performing on stage in projects as varied from Shakespeare to sketch shows. Being a native British speaker, he is experienced in a number of different dialects from around the British Isles and Ireland.