Byzantium and its army 284-1081

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Bibliographic Information

Byzantium and its army 284-1081

Warren Treadgold

Stanford University Press, 1995

  • : pbk

Available at  / 17 libraries

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Note

Bibliography: p. [227]-234

Includes index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

ISBN 9780804724203

Description

The Byzantine Empire was almost always ready to fight, and often fought for its life. During much of its history its provinces were military districts called themes, and acclamation by the army, not coronation or inheritance, was what made a man emperor. The army overthrew twenty-odd rulers, and tried to oust many more. It was large and expansive but on the whole it served its purpose well. Over eight centuries, despite losing a surprising number of battles, the army succeeded in preserving both itself and Byzantium. In view of its importance in Byzantine history, it is surprising that this volume is the first general book on the Byzantine army in any language. The author traces the army s impact on the Byzantine state and society from the army s reorganization under Diocletian (284-305) until its disintegration in the aftermath of the battle of Manzikert (1071). He suggests solutions to some major unresolved questions of Byzantine military history: how big was the army, how was it organized, how much of it was cavalry, how much was it paid, how was it supplied, when and why did it receive land grants in the themes, and why, after surviving so many disasters, did it fail to survive the not particularly disastrous eleventh century?

Table of Contents

  • Tables and maps
  • Introduction
  • 1. The Roman army's second millennium
  • 2. Numbers
  • 3. Structures
  • 4. Pay
  • 5. The army and society
  • 6. The army and the state
  • Appendix
  • Bibliography
  • Index.
Volume

: pbk ISBN 9780804731638

Description

The Byzantine Empire was almost always ready to fight, and often fought for its life. During much of its history its provinces were military districts called themes, and acclamation by the army, not coronation or inheritance, was what made a man emperor. The army overthrew twenty-odd rulers, and tried to oust many more. It was large and expansive but on the whole it served its purpose well. Over eight centuries, despite losing a surprising number of battles, the army succeeded in preserving both itself and Byzantium. In view of its importance in Byzantine history, it is surprising that this volume is the first general book on the Byzantine army in any language. The author traces the army's impact on the Byzantine state and society from the army's reorganization under Diocletian (284-305) until its disintegration in the aftermath of the battle of Manzikert (1071). He suggests solutions to some major unresolved questions of Byzantine military history: how big was the army, how was it organized, how much of it was cavalry, how much was it paid, how was it supplied, when and why did it receive land grants in the themes, and why, after surviving so many disasters, did it fail to survive the not particularly disastrous eleventh century?

Table of Contents

  • Tables and maps
  • Introduction
  • 1. The Roman army's second millennium
  • 2. Numbers
  • 3. Structures
  • 4. Pay
  • 5. The army and society
  • 6. The army and the state
  • Appendix
  • Bibliography
  • Index.

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