Review: The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium

The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium by Anthony Kaldellis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I happened upon this book in my library app, so, of course, had to pick it up because it is a comprehensive book on the Byzantines, no, New Romans as Kaldellis would say. Once I got into it, I realized that this is possibly one of the best comprehensive histories of the Byzantine Empire, so I decided on picking up a copy. Maybe only Byzantinists of a certain generation will get this, but Kaldellis' New Roman Empire, I think, finally displaces Ostrogorsky's History of the Byzantine State as the best single comprehensive history of Byzantium. Like Ostrogorsky, Kaldellis has a grand vision, but that vision, that of an empire preserving the populist appeal of the Roman Republic, varies greatly from its older predecessor. Agree or not, Kaldellis' history makes compelling reading.

Of course, the breadth of this kind of a book is breath-taking. Not only does an author taking on this kind of a project have to have over a thousand years of history, with dozens of sources under control, but Kaldellis considers economic, ,social, ecclesiastical and institutional patterns over this long period. His vision is distinctive and tends to look for popular participation in places that other Byzantists ignore. It doesn't always work, but his central point that the people, especially of Constantinople, had an unusual amount of say in imperial politics, I think, is supported by the ways that various emperors had to continue to keep the populace in mind, even as they balanced forces in dynastic and palace politics. Kaldellis tends to postpone the rise of a military aristocracy into the 12th century and beyond, so this extends the period in which social mobility was still possible and could even lead to the throne as it did for Justin I . He makes an interesting case.

Of course, in a work as extensive as all this, there are blind spots. Kaldellis struggles to take seriously the doctrinal disputes in the Church, so tends to be dismissive about the theological implications behind them, while remaining aware of the political meaning. And I do think he downplays the role of a aristocratic class clustering around various centers- the palace, the civil administration and the army. However, his stress on popular participation needs to be taken seriously because it is clear that the people, especially of Constantinople, could exercise decisive influence in the choice of emperor and even on policy.

This is a superb detailed introduction to the world of the New Roman Empire. It is definitely work reading and, I think, re-reading.

View all my reviews