Byzantine civilization
 |
Description
Book Introduction
Splendor and solitude, thought and faith
A thousand-year-old empire that lives and breathes together
The Byzantine Empire is often referred to as an extension of the Roman Empire.
In fact, the Byzantine Empire not only inherited the institutions, bureaucracy, and military traditions of ancient Rome, but also fully inherited Rome's religious identity, which had adopted Christianity as the state religion since the 4th century.
But Byzantium was more than just a succession; it was also an independent civilization that established the ideology of a Christian empire combining the secular and the sacred as a political reality and maintained it for a thousand years.
Within its peculiar identity, Byzantium functioned as a living order, constantly balancing between center and periphery, human and divine, emperor and church.
Byzantine Civilization is the most precise and ambitious project to answer that question.
In this book, André Guille, a historian who continues the tradition of the French Annales School, goes beyond chronological description and attempts to dissect the 'structure of the entire civilization.'
This book comprehensively surveys all layers of the Byzantine world—geography and ecology, institutions and power, society and economy, thought and faith, art and daily life—and interweaves texts, illustrations, historical materials and testimonies to construct a three-dimensional history of civilization.
A thousand-year-old empire that lives and breathes together
The Byzantine Empire is often referred to as an extension of the Roman Empire.
In fact, the Byzantine Empire not only inherited the institutions, bureaucracy, and military traditions of ancient Rome, but also fully inherited Rome's religious identity, which had adopted Christianity as the state religion since the 4th century.
But Byzantium was more than just a succession; it was also an independent civilization that established the ideology of a Christian empire combining the secular and the sacred as a political reality and maintained it for a thousand years.
Within its peculiar identity, Byzantium functioned as a living order, constantly balancing between center and periphery, human and divine, emperor and church.
Byzantine Civilization is the most precise and ambitious project to answer that question.
In this book, André Guille, a historian who continues the tradition of the French Annales School, goes beyond chronological description and attempts to dissect the 'structure of the entire civilization.'
This book comprehensively surveys all layers of the Byzantine world—geography and ecology, institutions and power, society and economy, thought and faith, art and daily life—and interweaves texts, illustrations, historical materials and testimonies to construct a three-dimensional history of civilization.
index
Walking Through the Byzantine Empire Again | Kim Rae-mo
Recommendation
introduction
Chapter 1: Byzantine History from a Geographical Perspective
The Byzantine Empire on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire throughout the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire shrinking to the northern shores of the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire? The Aegean Empire | The Empire of the Straits | Administrative divisions
Chapter 2: The Regions and Topography of the Empire
The West of the Empire
Italy | Sicily | Africa, Sardinia, Spain
Eastern part of the empire
Balkan Peninsula | Greece | Climata | Asia Minor | Byzantine Armenia | Byzantine Mesopotamia | Syria, Palestine, Cyprus | Egypt and Libya
Chapter 3 The State
National administrative structure
Emperor | Bureaucracy | Major departments of the capital | Provincial administration | Parliament
Central institutions of the state
Finance | Judiciary | Foreign Affairs | Military | Church
Chapter 4 Society
Status relationship
Slaves and Eunuchs | Status and Occupation | Relationships
mindset
Respect for Tradition | Regionalism and Some Exceptional Spirits
Chapter 5 Economy
land
Land cultivation methods | Land cultivation methods and the circumstances of farmers
city life
The Evolution of Urban Structure | The Development of Commerce and Industry
Chapter 6 Liberal Arts
Jiseongsa
Documents | Speeches | Iconography | Material Tools of Civilization
Gamseongsa
Symbols of Faith | Views on Beauty | Faith | Prayer | Folk Beliefs
conclusion
Translator's Note
Map of the Byzantine civilization
Byzantine Empire Chronology
References
supplement
Search
Recommendation
introduction
Chapter 1: Byzantine History from a Geographical Perspective
The Byzantine Empire on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire throughout the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire shrinking to the northern shores of the Mediterranean | The Byzantine Empire? The Aegean Empire | The Empire of the Straits | Administrative divisions
Chapter 2: The Regions and Topography of the Empire
The West of the Empire
Italy | Sicily | Africa, Sardinia, Spain
Eastern part of the empire
Balkan Peninsula | Greece | Climata | Asia Minor | Byzantine Armenia | Byzantine Mesopotamia | Syria, Palestine, Cyprus | Egypt and Libya
Chapter 3 The State
National administrative structure
Emperor | Bureaucracy | Major departments of the capital | Provincial administration | Parliament
Central institutions of the state
Finance | Judiciary | Foreign Affairs | Military | Church
Chapter 4 Society
Status relationship
Slaves and Eunuchs | Status and Occupation | Relationships
mindset
Respect for Tradition | Regionalism and Some Exceptional Spirits
Chapter 5 Economy
land
Land cultivation methods | Land cultivation methods and the circumstances of farmers
city life
The Evolution of Urban Structure | The Development of Commerce and Industry
Chapter 6 Liberal Arts
Jiseongsa
Documents | Speeches | Iconography | Material Tools of Civilization
Gamseongsa
Symbols of Faith | Views on Beauty | Faith | Prayer | Folk Beliefs
conclusion
Translator's Note
Map of the Byzantine civilization
Byzantine Empire Chronology
References
supplement
Search
Into the book
We must humbly acknowledge that it is nearly impossible for us to fully understand the inherent complexity of the people and civilizations of this world.
--- p.95
The leading city in this region was Nicaea, which prospered from its silk weaving industry.
After 1204, Nicaea was an imperial capital, but less than a century and a half later it fell to the Turks.
To the southwest lies the mountainous Misia, but fertile valleys of abundant rivers cut through the region, and north-south transportation routes follow these rivers.
--- p.179
The earthly office which the Emperor exercises derives neither from election (for the people are powerless to elect, and the worst candidate can become the lord of the throne), nor from lineage (for the ignorant and the incompetent can be placed on the imperial throne), but 'like the office of the queen bee' derives from its very nature, that is, from God.
--- p.236
Looking at the criminal codes enforced in the Byzantine Empire, it cannot be denied that the punishments were more lenient than those of Rome due to the influence of Christianity.
The death penalty was limited to murder, adultery, and attempted cursing; crucifixion was abolished; the most severe punishments were exile (for example, in the Crimea), exile in a monastery, fines, and confiscation of property.
--- p.308
“When your son is sick, you wander around looking for a magician.
Some magicians sing beside the sick, while others draw incomprehensible symbols around the necks of innocent children.
And you end up seeing a doctor.
“They neglected all treatment that could have saved him.”
--- p.413
“This city surpasses all others in almost every respect, both in its wealth and its vices.
There are many churches in this city.
Hagia Sophia is unrivaled in scale, if not in decoration.
“The churches are all marvelous for their beauty and are precious for their many relics.”
--- p.534
In elementary school, a two- to three-year school system was implemented, and for many students, this was their last school education.
By the time they finished school, the students were 9 or 10 years old.
Some people started studying later.
--- p.627
When suffering from insomnia, people pray to the Seven Sleeping Saints of Ephesus.
According to the biography, these saints were seven children who fled the persecution of Emperor Decius and took refuge in a cave near Ephesus, where they fell asleep and only woke up 200 years later.
--- p.95
The leading city in this region was Nicaea, which prospered from its silk weaving industry.
After 1204, Nicaea was an imperial capital, but less than a century and a half later it fell to the Turks.
To the southwest lies the mountainous Misia, but fertile valleys of abundant rivers cut through the region, and north-south transportation routes follow these rivers.
--- p.179
The earthly office which the Emperor exercises derives neither from election (for the people are powerless to elect, and the worst candidate can become the lord of the throne), nor from lineage (for the ignorant and the incompetent can be placed on the imperial throne), but 'like the office of the queen bee' derives from its very nature, that is, from God.
--- p.236
Looking at the criminal codes enforced in the Byzantine Empire, it cannot be denied that the punishments were more lenient than those of Rome due to the influence of Christianity.
The death penalty was limited to murder, adultery, and attempted cursing; crucifixion was abolished; the most severe punishments were exile (for example, in the Crimea), exile in a monastery, fines, and confiscation of property.
--- p.308
“When your son is sick, you wander around looking for a magician.
Some magicians sing beside the sick, while others draw incomprehensible symbols around the necks of innocent children.
And you end up seeing a doctor.
“They neglected all treatment that could have saved him.”
--- p.413
“This city surpasses all others in almost every respect, both in its wealth and its vices.
There are many churches in this city.
Hagia Sophia is unrivaled in scale, if not in decoration.
“The churches are all marvelous for their beauty and are precious for their many relics.”
--- p.534
In elementary school, a two- to three-year school system was implemented, and for many students, this was their last school education.
By the time they finished school, the students were 9 or 10 years old.
Some people started studying later.
--- p.627
When suffering from insomnia, people pray to the Seven Sleeping Saints of Ephesus.
According to the biography, these saints were seven children who fled the persecution of Emperor Decius and took refuge in a cave near Ephesus, where they fell asleep and only woke up 200 years later.
--- p.717
Publisher's Review
Containing both the visible and invisible worlds simultaneously
『Byzantine Civilization』 starts from the ‘place’ where civilization existed.
By analyzing the geography, climate, and ecology of Byzantium, we trace how the empire's territory changed over time and how soil, water, agriculture, and migration reshaped its society.
Physical conditions determine civilization more deeply than theology or law.
As a historical geographer and structural historian, Giyu traces the distribution of land, the location of rivers and ports, the establishment of defensive lines, climate and crops, and the settlement patterns of mountainous terrain and valleys.
And through this, it explains how institutions and political power work.
Byzantium was not a single region, but a civilization composed of multi-layered and heterogeneous spaces.
From its capital, Constantinople, civilization expanded to regions with distinct ecologies and identities, from the Anatolian plateau to the Syrian desert, the Balkan mountains, and the cities of southern Italy.
A key task of this book is to examine how the empire maintained a consistent order and how it experienced fractures in this pluralistic environment.
Towards a civilization of living humans
“All creatures, such as the land, sunlight, and air, belong to God, and out of his great love for man, he has granted him the right to enjoy them under the responsibility of his earthly representative, the emperor.” _Page 479
What makes Byzantine Civilization special is not simply that it chronicles a great legacy or power.
Rather, Giyu traces the 'civilization of living humans', including the lives and economy of the people, the structure of cities, trade and handicrafts, diet and disease, and even the forms of clothing and housing.
It is a narrative that combines archaeology, geography, and microhistory.
Rather than viewing the Byzantine economy solely through monetary flows, Giyu traces the empire's holdings of land, slaves, manpower, taxes, labor, food composition, and consumption patterns.
In particular, the Byzantine theocratic concept of ownership, which states that “the land belongs to God, and the emperor, as God’s representative, is responsible for distributing it,” is fundamentally different from the modern concept of property.
This creates a complex web of relationships between 'ownership' and 'occupancy', 'cultivation' and 'taxation'.
Giyu analyzes the polarities of the Byzantine spiritual world.
The church was not simply a religious space, but a structure that represented the world in itself, and believers, within the sanctuary, transcended the limitations of time and space and stepped into the 'kingdom of God.'
Worship was an act and a form of being, and frescoes and mosaics were not mere decorations but media for mystery.
Byzantine time flowed according to the feast days of saints and the church calendar, and space was also used differently according to the hierarchy of piety.
This goes beyond the strong influence of religion, and shows that Byzantium had its own unique ideology in interpreting time and space.
Byzantine society constantly sought to establish humanity's place within a cosmology structured around an absolute God, and this attitude permeated politics, ethics, law, and social institutions.
An honest approach to an unfamiliar world
“How long did those who had never seen Constantinople gaze upon it?
“When I saw the high walls and strong towers surrounding the city, its magnificent palaces, its lofty churches, and the length and breadth of this city that reigned like a prince over all other cities, I could not have imagined that there could be a city so powerful in the whole world.” _Page 534
The oil does not necessarily idealize Byzantium or simplify it from a Western perspective.
Rather, he confesses that “it is nearly impossible for us to understand the people and cultures of this world based on their inherent complexity,” and he listens to historical materials, artifacts, and texts.
In that sense, this book is the result of research based on academic integrity.
"Palace Clerk," 1413
A scribe wearing a long robe with a wide waist and a string tied around his waist is holding a scroll of parchment and writing the biography of the Virgin Mary.
“The work there was not only hard, but so much, and the strain of writing made it so difficult that I could neither scratch my ears, nor lift my head, nor eat when hungry, nor drink when thirsty, nor wash without the sweat pouring down my forehead and face like rain.”
- Michael Psellos, clerk of the Chancellery of Constantinople
"Byzantine Civilization" presents readers with the true nature of this civilization through over 200 maps, artworks, and artifacts.
The decoration of manuscripts, the layout of monastic architecture, city walls and road networks, household utensils and clothing, relics and topography are presented with historians' analysis.
The reader unfolds the life and space of the Byzantines as if slowly walking through a museum.
A Thousand Years of Time, a History of Civilization in One Volume
“In the refuge provided by Eastern Rome, Western Europe was able to rebuild its life.
It is no exaggeration to say that Western European civilization is a byproduct of the Eastern Roman Empire's will to survive.” _Page 61
"St. Vladimir's Hat", 12th century
It was produced in Constantinople, then moved to Vladimir, and then to Moscow.
The icon became a symbol of Moscow's claim to be the Third Rome, the successor to Byzantine authority.
『Byzantine Civilization』 does not view the Byzantine Empire as a simple object of historical study.
Byzantium is a living spiritual heritage, another root that shaped European identity.
When medieval Western Europe wandered in the "Western Darkness," Byzantium was the center that protected and inherited classical culture, and the Orthodox culture of the Slavic world found its roots in the language, faith, and institutions of Byzantium.
A world that cannot be captured by Western-centrism, the Byzantine civilization that created Europe while remaining non-Western leads readers to reflect on civilization, power, religion, and identity.
To understand the cultural complexities and inter-state conflicts we face today, we must revisit Byzantium.
Byzantium was a complex civilization that could not be captured within the simple framework of 'history and tradition.'
『Byzantine Civilization』 starts from the ‘place’ where civilization existed.
By analyzing the geography, climate, and ecology of Byzantium, we trace how the empire's territory changed over time and how soil, water, agriculture, and migration reshaped its society.
Physical conditions determine civilization more deeply than theology or law.
As a historical geographer and structural historian, Giyu traces the distribution of land, the location of rivers and ports, the establishment of defensive lines, climate and crops, and the settlement patterns of mountainous terrain and valleys.
And through this, it explains how institutions and political power work.
Byzantium was not a single region, but a civilization composed of multi-layered and heterogeneous spaces.
From its capital, Constantinople, civilization expanded to regions with distinct ecologies and identities, from the Anatolian plateau to the Syrian desert, the Balkan mountains, and the cities of southern Italy.
A key task of this book is to examine how the empire maintained a consistent order and how it experienced fractures in this pluralistic environment.
Towards a civilization of living humans
“All creatures, such as the land, sunlight, and air, belong to God, and out of his great love for man, he has granted him the right to enjoy them under the responsibility of his earthly representative, the emperor.” _Page 479
What makes Byzantine Civilization special is not simply that it chronicles a great legacy or power.
Rather, Giyu traces the 'civilization of living humans', including the lives and economy of the people, the structure of cities, trade and handicrafts, diet and disease, and even the forms of clothing and housing.
It is a narrative that combines archaeology, geography, and microhistory.
Rather than viewing the Byzantine economy solely through monetary flows, Giyu traces the empire's holdings of land, slaves, manpower, taxes, labor, food composition, and consumption patterns.
In particular, the Byzantine theocratic concept of ownership, which states that “the land belongs to God, and the emperor, as God’s representative, is responsible for distributing it,” is fundamentally different from the modern concept of property.
This creates a complex web of relationships between 'ownership' and 'occupancy', 'cultivation' and 'taxation'.
Giyu analyzes the polarities of the Byzantine spiritual world.
The church was not simply a religious space, but a structure that represented the world in itself, and believers, within the sanctuary, transcended the limitations of time and space and stepped into the 'kingdom of God.'
Worship was an act and a form of being, and frescoes and mosaics were not mere decorations but media for mystery.
Byzantine time flowed according to the feast days of saints and the church calendar, and space was also used differently according to the hierarchy of piety.
This goes beyond the strong influence of religion, and shows that Byzantium had its own unique ideology in interpreting time and space.
Byzantine society constantly sought to establish humanity's place within a cosmology structured around an absolute God, and this attitude permeated politics, ethics, law, and social institutions.
An honest approach to an unfamiliar world
“How long did those who had never seen Constantinople gaze upon it?
“When I saw the high walls and strong towers surrounding the city, its magnificent palaces, its lofty churches, and the length and breadth of this city that reigned like a prince over all other cities, I could not have imagined that there could be a city so powerful in the whole world.” _Page 534
The oil does not necessarily idealize Byzantium or simplify it from a Western perspective.
Rather, he confesses that “it is nearly impossible for us to understand the people and cultures of this world based on their inherent complexity,” and he listens to historical materials, artifacts, and texts.
In that sense, this book is the result of research based on academic integrity.
"Palace Clerk," 1413
A scribe wearing a long robe with a wide waist and a string tied around his waist is holding a scroll of parchment and writing the biography of the Virgin Mary.
“The work there was not only hard, but so much, and the strain of writing made it so difficult that I could neither scratch my ears, nor lift my head, nor eat when hungry, nor drink when thirsty, nor wash without the sweat pouring down my forehead and face like rain.”
- Michael Psellos, clerk of the Chancellery of Constantinople
"Byzantine Civilization" presents readers with the true nature of this civilization through over 200 maps, artworks, and artifacts.
The decoration of manuscripts, the layout of monastic architecture, city walls and road networks, household utensils and clothing, relics and topography are presented with historians' analysis.
The reader unfolds the life and space of the Byzantines as if slowly walking through a museum.
A Thousand Years of Time, a History of Civilization in One Volume
“In the refuge provided by Eastern Rome, Western Europe was able to rebuild its life.
It is no exaggeration to say that Western European civilization is a byproduct of the Eastern Roman Empire's will to survive.” _Page 61
"St. Vladimir's Hat", 12th century
It was produced in Constantinople, then moved to Vladimir, and then to Moscow.
The icon became a symbol of Moscow's claim to be the Third Rome, the successor to Byzantine authority.
『Byzantine Civilization』 does not view the Byzantine Empire as a simple object of historical study.
Byzantium is a living spiritual heritage, another root that shaped European identity.
When medieval Western Europe wandered in the "Western Darkness," Byzantium was the center that protected and inherited classical culture, and the Orthodox culture of the Slavic world found its roots in the language, faith, and institutions of Byzantium.
A world that cannot be captured by Western-centrism, the Byzantine civilization that created Europe while remaining non-Western leads readers to reflect on civilization, power, religion, and identity.
To understand the cultural complexities and inter-state conflicts we face today, we must revisit Byzantium.
Byzantium was a complex civilization that could not be captured within the simple framework of 'history and tradition.'
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: June 30, 2025
- Format: Hardcover book binding method guide
- Page count, weight, size: 1,096 pages | 1,496g | 161*230*52mm
- ISBN13: 9788935679003
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