Ebook: The Byzantine Empire

PREFACE.
FIFTY vear.:; a~ro the word "R)'Zalltine " was used ~ .,
a:; a synonym for all that 'as corrupt and decadent,
and the tale of the East-Roman Empire was dismisscc1
by modern historians as depressing and
monotonous. The great Gibbon had branded the
successors of Justinian and lIeraclius as a series of
vicious weaklings, and for SC'cral gcnerations no one
dared to contradict him.
Two books ha'e served to undeceive the English
reader, the monumenta.l work of Finlay, published ill
I ~ 56, and the more 1l1Odcrn volumes of 1"1 r. Bury,
which appeared ill 1889_ Since they ha'c writtell,
the Byzantines no lon~er need an apologist, and the
great vork or the' Eas.!-RumaILEmpire. in holdingback
fhc Saracen, and in keeping aliye throll~hout
the parK Ag.~tl.1e_J.amp Of le·arning,i:i..b.cgionjng to
be realized.
-the writer of thjs book has endeavoured to tell
the story of Byzantium in the spirit of Finlay and
Bury, not in that or Gibbon. 1 Ie wishes

Table of Contents

CONTENTS; I; RYZANTIUM; PACE; [-12; Foumtalion of EYZlllium, 3--Early history of the city, 5-; Byzantine luxury, 7-ByulIIinlU llestroycJ A o J 96, 9-; T~ken by llaximinus, I I; H; TJfE FOUNOTIO:-l OF CO:-lSTA:-;'TIl'Ol'LE (An 328-; 530 ) J3-3°; Constantine the Great I5-Corutantinc's Choice, J 7-The; Topograpby of Const:'ltltinoplc, 19-Tile Senate II ollse, 21-; The IIippoJrolllc, 25-St Sophia, 27-Const:lntinc's Dedication; Festival, 29; III; THE FIGHT W1T11 THE GOTHS 3 1-44; The Goths and the Huns, 35-'aIens and the Goths, 37-0ut·; hreak of War, 39-Battlc of Adrianoplc, 41; IV; THE DEPARTURE OF THE GERMA:-lS; Stilicho, 47-Alaric tbe Goth, 49-Gainas slain,s J -EKile of; Chrysos