The Age of the Dromon - The Byzantine Navy ca. 500 - 1204
This volume examines the development and evolution of the war galley known as the Dromon, and its relative, the Chelandion, from first appearance in the sixth century until its supercession in the twelfth century by the Galea developed in the Latin West. Beginning as a small, fully-decked, monoreme galley, by the tenth century the Dromon had become a bireme, the pre-eminent war galley of the Mediterranean. The salient features of these ships were their two-banked oarage system, the spurs at their bows which replaced the ram of classical antiquity, their lateen sails, and their primary weapon: Greek Fire.
The major theoretical contributions of Kitzinger's later career are embodied in his book Byzantine art in the making (1977), originally delivered as a series of lectures at the University of Cambridge, and in a volume of his collected essays, The art of Byzantium and the medieval West (1976). In both volumes Kitzinger maintained his life-long preoccupation with the analysis of style change in late antique and early medieval art, and his conviction that stylistic analysis could speak with an authority equal to that of iconography or textual history.
Patriarch, Monk and Empress - A Byzantine Debate over Icons
The roots of the Byzantine debate over icons can be traced back to the Christian Church’s very inception. Indeed, an underlying current of iconoclasm manifested itself repeatedly over the centuries but did not erupt into a large-scale controversy until the eighth century.
The History of Leo the Deacon - Byzantine Military Expansion in the 10th Century
Leo's firsthand experience of the campaigns and courts of two Byzantine emperors provides vivid descriptions of sieges, pitched battles, and ambushes. His account of the conspiracy against Nikephoros II Phokas, murdered as he slept on the floor in front of his icons, is one of the most dramatic in Byzantine narrative histories. Alice-Mary Talbot and Denis Sullivan, with the assistance of George T. Dennis and Stamatina McGrath, include an extensive introduction and detailed notes to guide the reader through the complex chronology, geography, and text of the History. Also included are five maps, two genealogical tables, and four indexes.
Rosser (history, Boston Coll.), an active participant in field research related to Byzantine archaeology, begins this volume with a chronology that summarizes the history of Byzantium from its beginnings in 324 C.E. to the fall of its last outpost in 1461. This is followed by an introduction that provides concise overviews of Byzantine civilization. The dictionary proper covers people, events, and important aspects of Byzantine culture, such as art and economics, with a useful bibliography wrapping up the text.
