This introduction to the Byzantine civilisation provides a guide for those who know nothing or little about the history of Byzantium.

This is a new edition of Gregory's widely praised narrative of Byzantine history from the time of Constantine the Great (AD 306-337) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Gregory uses the chronological political history of the empire as a narrative frame, but balances politics with a consideration of social and economic life and the rich culture of Byzantium. Visual documents, such as photographs of art and architecture, are used alongside the text to illustrate discussions about life in the Byzantine Empire.

This second edition provides a deeper insight into social and economic conditions of the time, with more emphasis on how ordinary people lived during the history of the Empire. New research has been incorporated – much from archaeological sources – and there is fuller coverage of the middle and later Byzantine periods. A wider discussion of the relationship between Byzantium and the broader world has been added, as well as an annotated, extended bibliography, new photographs and maps, and a guide to Byzantine web resources.

Based on the very latest scholarship, and written in a clear, narrative prose, this fascinating volume is an ideal introduction to Byzantine History.

This revised and expanded edition of the widely-praised A History of Byzantium covers the time of Constantine the Great in AD 306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

• Expands treatment of the middle and later Byzantine periods, incorporating new archaeological evidence
• Includes additional maps and photographs, and a newly annotated, updated bibliography
• Incorporates a new section on web resources for Byzantium studies
• Demonstrates that Byzantium was important in its own right but also served as a bridge between East and West and ancient and modern society
• Situates Byzantium in its broader historical context with a new comparative timeline and textboxes