Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade

by Anthony Kaldellis

Overview

In the second half of the tenth century, Byzantium embarked on a series of spectacular conquests: first in the southeast against the Arabs, then in Bulgaria, and finally in the Georgian and Armenian lands. By the early eleventh century, the empire was the most powerful state in the Mediterranean. It was also expanding economically, demographically, and, in time, intellectually as well. Yet this imperial project came to a crashing collapse fifty years later, when political disunity, fiscal mismanagement, and defeat at the hands of the Seljuks in the east and the Normans in the west brought an end to Byzantine hegemony. By 1081, not only was its dominance of southern Italy, the Balkans, Caucasus, and northern Mesopotamia over but Byzantium's very existence was threatened. How did this dramatic transformation happen? Based on a close examination of the relevant sources, this history-the first of its kind in over a century-offers a new reconstruction of the key events and crucial reigns as well as a different model for understanding imperial politics and wars, both civil and foreign. In addition to providing a badly needed narrative of this critical period of Byzantine history, Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood offers new interpretations of key topics relevant to the medieval era. The narrative unfolds in three parts: the first covers the years 955-1025, a period of imperial conquest and consolidation of authority under the great emperor Basil "the Bulgar-Slayer." The second (1025-1059) examines the dispersal of centralized authority in Constantinople as well as the emergence of new foreign enemies (Pechenegs, Seljuks, and Normans). The last section chronicles the spectacular collapse of the empire during the second half of the eleventh century, concluding with a look at the First Crusade and its consequences for Byzantine relations with the powers of Western Europe. This briskly paced and thoroughly investigated narrative vividly brings to life one of the most exciting and transformative eras of medieval history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190253240
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	06/07/2017
Series:	Onassis Series in Hellenic Culture
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	464
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Anthony Kaldellis is Professor of Greek and Latin at The Ohio State University. Author of The Christian Parthenon: Classicism and Pilgrimage in Byzantine Athens (CUP 2009) and Hellenism in Byzantium: The Transformations of Greek Identity and the Reception of the Classical Tradition (CUP, 2007), among numerous others (including two in progress OUP).

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Preface Maps Genealogies Introduction: The Byzantine Empire in the Tenth Century Roman?a Imperial governance The army and war Landed aristocracy Anatolian magnates Part I: CONQUEST AND CONSOLIDATION "Avengers of Rome": The First Phase of Conquest in the East (955-963) The cast of the conquest: The final years of Konstantinos VII (d. 959) Turning the tide in the southeast Southern Italy A smooth succession: Romanos II The conquest of Crete The conquest of Cilicia (phase I) The rise of Phokas "The White Death of the Saracens": Nikephoros II Phokas (963-969) The new regime Failure in Sicily The conquest of Cilicia (phase II) and Cyprus The annexation of Taron Declining popularity Tension with Bulgaria Tension in Italy with the German empire Military victory, political failure: the final years "A Mind Full of Cares, Brave in Danger": Ioannes I Tzimiskes (969-976) The new regime The defeat of the Rus' and Bulgaria Eastern incursions: toward a new balance of power An otherwise obscure reign "From Spectator to Contestant": Basil II (976-1025), Part I The new regime The first rebellion of Bardas Skleros The foreign policy of Lakapenos and Phokas, 979-985 The fall of Lakapenos and the rebellion of Phokas and Skleros "Guarding the Children of New Rome": Basil II (976-1025), Part II From status quo to peace in the east, 990-1001 The war against Bulgaria, 991-1003 The emperor and the ?aristocracy? "No One Ever Saw My Spear at Rest": Basil II (976-1025), Part III The missing decade and conquest of Bulgaria, 1004-1018 Monitoring Aleppo, 1000-1025 The war with Abkhazia-Kartli and the last rebellion, 1021-1022 The apogee of Byzantine Italy The end of an era GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS: THE AGE OF CONQUEST PART II: NEW ENEMIES AND THE RETURN OF POLITICS "Intrigues of the Women's Quarters": From Macedonians to Paphlagonians Konstantinos VIII (1025-1028) Romanos III Argyros (1028-1034): The same insecurity The debacle at Aleppo and the capture of Edessa Diplomacy and dynastic instability Michael IV (1034-1041): Family rule Frontier integrity The conquest, and loss, of Sicily The Bulgarian revolt The dramatic fall of Michael V (1041-1042) "No Less Laws than Arms": Konstantinos IX Monomachos (1042-1055), Part I Enter the Normans 1043: Trial by fire Domestic initiatives (phase I) The annexation of Ani Enter the Pechenegs - the revolt of Tornikios "Squaring the Circle": Konstantinos IX Monomachos (1042-1055), Part II Enter the Seljuks - the Pecheneg wars Domestic initiatives (phase II) Italy on the brink and the Schism of 1054 Coping with new challenges "With Sword Drawn": It All Comes to a Head, 1055-1059 Theodora (1055-1056) Michael VI (1056-1057) Isaakios I Komnenos (1057-1059): Fiscal reforms and the fall of Keroularios Barbarians of the east and west GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS: THE RETURN OF MULTI-POLARITY PART III: COLLAPSE "The Agony of a Virulent Poison": The Road to Mantzikert, 1059-1071 Konstantinos X Doukas (1059-1067): Domestic mispriorities Frayed frontiers: Seljuks and Oghuz The end of Byzantine Italy Eudokia and the succession: Romanos IV Diogenes (1068-1071) Chasing Turks Mantzikert Civil war "Squeezed by the Pangs of Death": The Empire on the Verge, 1071-1081 Michael VII Doukas (1071-1078): The new regime The state of the provinces A Norman statelet in Asia Minor Breakdown Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078-1081) GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS: IMPERIAL COLLAPSE EPILOGUE A Byzantine History of the First Crusade Crusading in broader perspective The making of a surrogate Byzantine army Restoring the Roman east Guide to the ten most important narrative sources Glossary Bibliography Index of Persons and Places Restoring the Roman east

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/08/2017
In this lucid and well-researched history, Kaldellis, a classics scholar, examines the rapid expansion and subsequent contraction of Byzantium in the 10th and 11th centuries. This work serves impressively as both a general introduction to the political, economic, and military history of the period and a narratively engaging and clear interpretation of the causes and effects of the empire’s rise and fall. The book nicely balances explication and commentary; Kaldellis includes details that bring his history to life—such as the facial hair patterns of a Byzantine enemy or the spouse selection process of an empress—and frequently turns a critical eye on his modern and historical sources, evaluating their credibility in reporting and interpretation. The work is thus both educational and enjoyable, almost a canonical model of how to write history for both lay and professional readers. This is a welcome introduction to Byzantine history, which is little known in the West relative to earlier Greek or Roman periods and deserves wider understanding and discussion. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"With excellent maps, genealogies, notes, glossary, bibliography, index, sometimes hard going, but always rewarding, this will be a key text to the period." — Adrian Spooner, Classics for All

"a significant addition to current scholarship, especially as a manual for the general audience" — Georgios Theotokis, Speculum

"...very useful and readable book ... Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above." —R. T. Ingoglia, CHOICE

"A stylish and fast-paced narrative that weaves politics, society, and individual characters together into a fascinating depiction of a lively, dynamic, and culturally diverse civilization at its height. Firmly rooted in the contemporary sources and with a well-tuned appreciation of current scholarly debates, Kaldellis' account is set to become the standard 'go-to' political narrative of the medieval eastern Roman or Byzantine empire in its heyday." —John F. Haldon, Princeton University

"A learned and critical reassessment of the standard narrative, which is at the same time an engaging and lively account of an exciting period in the history of Byzantium." —Paul Magdalino, University of St. Andrews

"Anthony Kaldellis' new history of Byzantium is a major achievement. By setting aside the pre-conceptions of much of the secondary literature, and returning to the sources, he is able to reconstruct the dynamics of imperial power and politics across the crucial years between the imperial expansion of the late tenth century and the First Crusade. This book will be required reading for students and scholars not only of Byzantium, but also of the Medieval West." —Peter Sarris, University of Cambridge

"In this lucid and well-researched history, Kaldellis, a classics scholar, examines the rapid expansion and subsequent contraction of Byzantium in the 10th and 11th centuries. This work serves impressively as both a general introduction to the political, economic, and military history of the period and a narratively engaging and clear interpretation of the causes and effects of the empire's rise and fall. The book nicely balances explication and commentary; Kaldellis includes details that bring his history to life-such as the facial hair patterns of a Byzantine enemy...The work is thus both educational and enjoyable, almost a canonical model of how to write history for both lay and professional readers. This is a welcome introduction to Byzantine history, which is little known in the West relative to earlier Greek or Roman periods and deserves wider understanding and discussion." —Publisher's Weekly

From the Publisher