Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976-1025)
Author | : Catherine Holmes |
Publisher | : Oxford University Press |
Total Pages | : |
Release | : 2005-11-24 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780191535505 |
ISBN-13 | : 0191535508 |
Rating | : 4/5 (05 Downloads) |
Download or read book Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976-1025) written by Catherine Holmes and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-11-24 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book-length study in English of the Byzantine emperor Basil II. Basil II, later known as 'Bulgar-slayer', is famous for his military conquests and his brutal intimidation of domestic foes. Catherine Holmes considers the problems Basil faced in governing a large, multi-ethnic empire, which stretched from southern Italy to Mesopotamia. Her close focus on the surviving historical narratives, above all the Synopsis Historion of John Skylitzes, reveals a Byzantium governed as much by persuasion as coercion. This book will appeal to those interested in Byzantium before the Crusades, the governance of pre-modern empires, and the methodology of writing early medieval political history.