This book is a concise narrative of Byzantine history from the time of Constantine the Great (AD 306) to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It argues that Byzantium was important in its own right but also served as a bridge between East and West and ancient and modern society. The book uses the chronological political history of the empire as a narrative frame; considers social and economic life and the rich culture of the Byzantine Empire; integrates visual documents, such as photographs of art, architecture, and implements from daily life; makes the latest scholarship accessible to a wide audience; and, includes a chronological list of emperors, a glossary and maps.

作者简介：

蒂莫西·E.格里高利，美国俄亥俄州立大学拜占庭史教授、人类学副教授。著有《民声》（Vox Poluli，1979）、《罗马时期的科林西亚》（The Corinthia in the Roman Period，1993）、《伊斯米亚（第5卷）：要塞和长城》（Isthmia, vol.5: The Fortress and Hexamilion，1933）；担任《拜占庭牛津辞典》（The oxford Dictonary of Byzantium，1991）考古学学科编辑；并主持俄亥俄州立大学在伊斯米亚（希腊）的考古发掘工作。

译者简介：

刘智，硕士，深圳大学外国语学院教师。主要研究领域：美国文化，发表论文：《美国价值观之清教主义根源》、《美国文化的移民特征》、《美国宗教与通俗文化》、《好莱坞科幻电影中的基督原型》等，译有《东方化革命：古风时代前期近东对古希腊文化的影响》、《罗马共和国史》等学术专著。