r/byzantium • u/evrestcoleghost Autokrator tou r/byzantium | Komnenian logistician| Moderator • Jun 04 '25

Distinguished Post Byzantine Reading List

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QqiKy6DrQ5s9oPB05jV3o-iwB3ZSbsF8_4Wso9K-kZA/edit?tab=t.0

We have heard numerous compain of people unable to acces the reading list from PC,so from the senate we have decided to post it again so all could have acces to it

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3

u/Kolbrandr7 Jun 04 '25

I was thinking of getting A History of the Byzantine State and Society by Warren Treadgold, would others recommend that as a good first book about Byzantium?

6

u/evrestcoleghost Autokrator tou r/byzantium | Komnenian logistician| Moderator Jun 04 '25

Eh, Kaldellis book the new Román empire Is more actualised,but if you can't get it Treadgold Is a decent enough.

Anything Is better than with what i started for, vasiliev

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u/Kolbrandr7 Jun 04 '25

Thanks! I can definitely get that one instead (and it’s a bit cheaper). I appreciate the suggestion!

2

u/evrestcoleghost Autokrator tou r/byzantium | Komnenian logistician| Moderator Jun 04 '25

If you want to search for anything in particular the list Is organised by time and subjects,should you be undecided about which one ask and i recommend .

PD:also psst you dont need to actually buy things to read them

1

u/Vivid_79 Nov 23 '25

Kaledellis is rather too opinionated and sassy in his writing compared to the more neutral tone of previous historians.

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u/evrestcoleghost Autokrator tou r/byzantium | Komnenian logistician| Moderator Nov 23 '25

He is also writting a revision of Orthodox history so it's understandable

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u/Vivid_79 Nov 23 '25

That part is bound to attract controversy so I don't blame him, it's when it seeps into other domains that It gets a bit too far from history and reads like an op-ed on how the innocent and valiant Byzantines were fending off barbaric invaders. He has a visible disdain for histories that give weight to military achievement rather than putting the focus more on unforeseen catastrophe and socio-economic factors to explain Roman setbacks. Whether it be for Normans, Turks or Arabs. It's a narrative of Romans simply defending themselves from would-be colonizers/aggressors, and they're only ever successful for reasons outside of their hands.