The World of Byzantium
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
The World of Byzantium
Buy Now for £25.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kenneth W. Harl
About this listen
Byzantium is too-often considered merely the "Eastern rump" of the old Roman Empire, a curious and even unsettling mix of the classical and medieval. Yet it was, according to Professor Harl, "without a doubt the greatest state in Christendom through much of the Middle Ages," and well worth our attention as a way to widen our perspective on everything from the decline of imperial Rome to the rise of the Renaissance.
In a series of 24 tellingly detailed lectures, you'll learn how the Greek-speaking empire of Byzantium, or East Rome, occupied a crucial place in both time and space that began with Constantine the Great and endured for more than a millennium - a crucible where peoples, cultures, and ideas met and melded to create a world at once Eastern and Western, Greek and Latin, classical and Christian. And you'll be dazzled by the achievements of Byzantium's emperors, patriarchs, priests, monks, artists, architects, scholars, soldiers, and officials
- Preserving and extending the literary, intellectual, and aesthetic legacy of Classical and Hellenistic Greece
- Carrying forward path-breaking Roman accomplishments in law, politics, engineering, architecture, urban design, and military affairs
- Deepening Christian thought while spreading the faith to Russia and the rest of what would become the Orthodox world
- Developing Christian monastic institutions
- Shielding a comparatively weak and politically fragmented western Europe from the full force of eastern nomadic and Islamic invasions
- Fusing classical, Christian, and eastern influences
- Helping to shape the course of the Humanist revival and the Renaissance
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The World of Byzantium
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- clarke emilie
- 11-01-21
Engaging, interesting and entertaining
Extremely informative, taught me a whole new period of history. The lecturer is fantastic and keeps you engaged throughout, the detail at times is amazing. It makes you realise just how important this civilization was in European and Middle Eastern histories.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Selcuk Birler
- 30-03-23
A very enlightening and entertaining course, Throughly enjoyed it
I listened the whole course twice and enjoyed it very much…. I found less time to review the notes, but managed to listen the track a few times which helped me a lot…. Thank you to the team and Dr Harl…
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alex
- 21-03-21
Insightfull
Great structure, could have covered a bit more into the Byzantine legacy in other kingdoms/ countries but overall great lectures
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah e.
- 26-09-23
Really interesting
Interesting and engaging all the way through. I learned a lot about a period of time that I previously knew little about xx
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gayle M
- 16-04-23
Fascinating overview
Covered so much information, I hope I get time to listen again. Looking forward to listening to the Professor's next course on the Ottomans.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 27-03-23
Top notch! Very much worth a listen
Covers what is a very large and important period of history very clearly, understandably and engagingly. Highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- mr
- 06-12-14
Good but not great
Good overall and very interesting but a bit sparse on the detail. The book could had done with being a lot longer. That said, still worth a listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan
- 03-01-15
Very Disappointing -- There's a Better Alternative
I have listened to many Great Courses and am a huge fan. But this was a very poor course in my opinion. It is a mixture of historical narrative and a discussion of the early development of Christianity, and these two components were not integrated at all. Morever the historical narrative did not across very well as a story and I did not find myself engaging at all with the main protagonists. I persevered to the end but was really fed up with it in the latter stages. I was frustrated that I didn't get a good feel for this topic so I decided to look for something else and found the Modern Scholar course, also on audible, "Empire of Gold" by Thomas Madden. I am now part way through this and it is really good -- what a contrast! I strongly recommend chosing that rather than Professor Harl's course.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
14 people found this helpful