{"id":255313,"date":"2026-07-13T04:12:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:12:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/byzantine-civilisation-sir-steven-runciman\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T04:12:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T01:12:31","slug":"byzantine-civilisation-sir-steven-runciman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/byzantine-civilisation-sir-steven-runciman\/","title":{"rendered":"Byzantine Civilisation – Sir Steven Runciman"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An active diplomacy was kept up, to embroil foreign nations with each other and so maintain an equilibrium that would prevent any potential enemy from invading Imperial territory. Very little information has survived as to the organisation of Byzantine diplomacy. The Foreign Secretary of the Empire was the Logothete of the Course, the minister who was, it seems, in closest touch with the Emperor and interviewed him daily. (2) Foreign business was therefore largely directed by the Emperor himself. It was the Logothete’s business to see to the reception of foreign embassies, and probably he too fitted out the Imperial embassies to foreign courts and selected the personnel.<\/p>\n

But certain diplomatic affairs were conducted by the local authorities. Thus it was usually the Strategus of Cherson (in the Crimea) who arranged the 1. Cecaumenus, Noutheticos, 101. 2. See above, pp. 91-2. missions to the nations of the Steppes. In the story of Justinian Il’s adventures it was from Cherson that the embassies to the Chazars set out.<\/p>\n

(1) Under Zoe Carbopsina it was the Strategus John Bogas who visited the Petchenegs to incite them against Bulgaria; (2) and Constantine VII regarded Cherson as the proper base for Steppe diplomacy. (3) Possibly the Toparch of Gothia, an official who apparently existed in the early Tenth Century, was the head of the diplomatic bureau of Cherson.(4) In Italy it seems that the local Strategus or Catepan dealt with the Arabs, (5) though big embassies to the Italian courts were equipped at Constantinople.<\/p>\n

(6) In the mid-Tenth Century it was not the Strategus but the Archbishop of Otranto, Vlattus, who journeyed to El-Mahdia to buy back Christian prisoners; but then he had influence there, his sister being in the Calif’s harem, and when he returned unofficially to continue his good work, he was put to death. (7) There was no Diplomatic Service in the modern sense. Diplomatic establishments were not kept up permanently in any foreign country: though the Strategus of Cherson kept a large bureau which gathered information about the politics of the Steppes.<\/p>\n

There were probably certain officials who were always sent out as ambassadors when they were required. In Leo VI’s reign the Magister Leo Choerosphacta was sent on embassies first to Baghdad and later to the court of Bulgaria. (8) It was usually the same ministers who would go, whenever a truce was arranged with the Arabs, to conduct the exchange of prisoners on the 1.<\/p>\n

Theophanes, 378. 2. Theophanes Continuatus, 387. 3. Constantine Porphyrogennetus, op. cit., 72, 244 sqq. 4. Uspenski, Russia and Byzantium (in Russian), passim. 5. E.g. Cedrenus, VI, 355. 6. E.g. Constantine Porphyrogennetus, De Ceremoniis, 661. 7. Vita S. Nili, M.P.G., vol. 120, 117-20. 8.<\/p>\n

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Site of Constantinople \u2013 The Decay of the Roman World- Christianity \u2013 Diocletian and the New Monarchy \u2013 Constantine \u2013 The Victory of the Church \u2013 The New Capital \u2013 The New Synthesis. II HISTORICAL OUTLINE 30 Historical Outline from 330 to 1453. III THE IMPERIAL CONSTITUTION AND FHE REIGN OF LAW 61 The Imperial Power \u2013 Its Popular Basis \u2013 Its Religious Basis \u2013 The Empress \u2013 Regencies -The Demes \u2013 The Senate \u2013 Law \u2013 The Law Under Justinian -: under the Isaurians: under the Macedonians \u2013 Canon Law.<\/p>\n

IV THE ADMINISTRATION 81 The Emperor \u2013 The Imperial Family \u2013 Titles \u2013 Early Organisation \u2013 Justinian\u2019s Reforms \u2013 The Theme System \u2013 The Administration in the Tenth Century \u2013 The Government of the Paleologi \u2013 Revenues \u2013 Taxation \u2013 Expenditure \u2013 Paternalism \u2013 The Land Question \u2013 Justice. V RELIGION AND THE CHURCH 108 The Patriarchate of Constantinople \u2013 Organisation \u2013 Imperial Control \u2013 The Great Heresies \u2013 Schisms \u2013 The Roman Question \u2013 Missions – Daughter Churches \u2013 Tolerance \u2013 Superstition \u2013 Personnel.<\/p>\n

VI THE ARMY: THE NAVY: THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE 136 The Army \u2013 Fourth Century Reforms \u2013 The Foederati \u2013 Tiberius and Maurice \u2013 The Themes \u2013 The Tagmata \u2013 Arms \u2013 Strategy \u2013 Military Science \u2013 Pay \u2013 Auxiliary Service \u2013 Foreign Mercenaries \u2013 Decline. The Navy Under the Heraclians \u2013 Decline \u2013 Revival in The Ninth Century \u2013 Second Decline \u2013 Paleologian Navy \u2013 Ships \u2013 Greek Fire.<\/p>\n

Diplomatic Organisation \u2013 Formality \u2013 Subtlety \u2013 The Balance of Power \u2013 Diplomatic Marriages \u2013 Foreign Pretenders \u2013 Expense. VII COMMERCE 163 The Eastern Trade \u2013 Cosmas Indicopleustes \u2013 The Arab Conquests \u2013 Ninth and Tenth Centuries \u2013 The Crusades – 8 Concessions to the Italians \u2013 Decline \u2013 Manufactures \u2013 Imports \u2013 Regulations \u2013 State Control \u2013 Guilds \u2013 The Currency. VIII TOWN AND COUNTRY LIFE 179 Ethnography \u2013 Slavs \u2013 Armenians \u2013 Constantinople \u2013 Its Appearance \u2013 The Court \u2013 The Hippodrome \u2013 The Nobility \u2013 Wealth \u2013 Self-Made Men \u2013 The Poor \u2013 Slavery \u2013 The Middle Classes \u2013 Eunuchs \u2013 Trade \u2013 Provincial Towns \u2013 Country Life Agrarian Problems \u2013 Byzantine Characteristics: Piety \u2013 Influence of Saints \u2013 Superstition \u2013 Cruelty and Corruption \u2013 Love of Beauty \u2013 Pessimism.<\/p>\n

IX EDUCATION AND LEARNING 223 The Education of Boys \u2013 Constantine\u2019s University \u2013 Church School\u2019s Bardas\u2019 University \u2013 Constantine IX\u2019s Law- Schools \u2013 Education under the Nic\u00e6ans and the Paleologi \u2013 Female Education \u2013 Foreign Languages \u2013 History \u2013 Philosophy \u2013 Foreign Languages \u2013 Geography \u2013 Medicine \u2013 The Hospitals. X BYZANTINE LITERATURE 240 Language \u2013 Prose \u2013 Religious Works \u2013 Historians \u2013 Hagiography \u2013 Memoirs \u2013 Handbooks \u2013 Fiction \u2013 Letters \u2013 Poetry \u2013 Hymns \u2013 Music \u2013 Epigrams \u2013 Longer Poems \u2013 Chansons de Geste.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n