Printer Friendly VersionByzantine Empire
Compiled by Patricia Hardesty
Liaison Librarian for History, Philosophy and Religion, Political Science
July 2006
The Byzantine Emprie existed for over 1,000 years, from the early 4th century, when Constantine established the seat of the Roman Empire at Byzantium, to 1453, when the Empire fell to the Ottoman Turks. This guide includes resources that will aid in the study of the history of Byzantium, broadly defined, including cultural, political, and religious topics.
Table of Contents
The following resources will furnish an overview of a topic and can be helpful in defining a research question or clarifying a point of confusion. Many have useful bibliographies.
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 3 vol.
(Ref DF 521 O93 1991).The best English-language encyclopedia on the Byzantine Empire. A survey of the Byzantine world, with entries often covering unexpected topics (e.g., blood, crown, beverages). Short bibliographies.
Rosser, John H. Historical Dictionary of Byzantium. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2001.
(Ref DF552 R67 2001).Brief entries with maps and illustrations, arranged alphabetically. A bibliography completes the work.
The Cambridge Medieval History. 2nd ed. 8 vol. in 10.
(Ref D117 .C32)Volume 4 covers the Byzantine Empire. Extensive, though dated (up to 1960s) bibliographies.
The New Cambridge Medieval History. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1995- .
(Ref D 117 .C32 1995)A complete reworking of the Cambridge History mentioned above. Treatment is chronological, with essays on Byzantium sprinkled throughout.
Dictionary of the Middle Ages. 13 vols.
(Ref D114 D5 1982)Richly illustrated, scholarly, with good bibliographies.
Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World.
(Ref DE5 .N4813 2002)A work in progress, this is the English tranlation of an authoritative German work, covering the period from the 2nd millenium BC to the formation of early modern Europe (AD 600 to 800). Eight volumes are published to date, covering alphabetical entries for A through Mine. Scholarly bibliographies
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge, 1998. 10 vol.
(Ref. B51 .R68 1998)Scholarly treatment of all aspects of philosophy. Extensive bibliographies.
Encyclopedia of Philosophy. New York: Macmillan, [1972]. 8 vol. in 4.
(Ref B41 E5 1972)Although dated, contains Byzantine philosophy material.
The Dictionary of Art. New York: Grove, 1996. 34 vol.
(Online in Research Databases as Grove Art Online; in print, Ref N 31 D5 1996)The standard encyclopedia of art. Online version links to the Bridgeman database, containing 30,000 images.
The Encyclopedia of Religion. 15 vols.
(Ref BL31 .E46 2005)Excellent source for the religious background of the Byzantine Empire.
Hammond, N.G.L., and Scullard, H.H., ed. The Oxford Classical Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1970.
(Ref DE5 O9 1970).Byzantine locations and individuals of importance are noted.
Langer, William L. An Encyclopedia of World History; Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Chronologically Arranged. 5th ed., rev. and enl. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1972.
(Ref D21 L27 1972)The leading general one-volume encyclopedia of world history. Byzantine Empire topics are included.
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Washington, D.C.: Grove's Dictionaries of Music, 1980. 20 vol.
(In print form at Ref ML100 .N48, online in Research Databases as Grove Art Online).Leading English language music encyclopedia. Byzantine Empire topics are included.
The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University, 1976.
(Ref DE59 P7).Sites within the Byzantine Empire are included. Scholarly.
Yonah, Michael A., and Shatzman, Israel. Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Classical World . New York: Harper & Row, 1975.
(Ref DE5 I44 1975)
Subject Headings for searching LEO
The following subject headings are useful in researching the Byzantine Empire in our Library catalog, or any catalog that uses Library of Congress classification. To locate additional subject headings use the Library of Congress Subject Headings volumes located near the Reference Room printer.
Architecture, Byzantine Councils and synods, Ecumenical
Art, Byzantine Music, Byzantine
Byzantine empire Orthodox Eastern Church
Coins, Byzantine Painting, Byzantine
Individuals, geographic entities, and organizations may also be searched, for example:
Constantine I, Emperor of Rome, d. 337
Justinian I, Emperor of the East, 483?-565Athanasius, Saint, Patriarch of Alexandria, d. 373
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Bibliographies are useful for extending the research beyond the confines of one library. The Bibliographic Index is useful for its currency. L'Annee Philologique, and the earlier works by Lambrino and Marouzeau, offer comprehensive coverage in all languages. Encyclopedia articles generally include bibliographies with entries.
Allen, Jelisaveta S. Literature on Byzantine Art, 1892-1967 . [London]: Published [by] Mansell for the Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies, Washington, D.C.: 1973-1976. 2 vol. in 3.
(Ref N 6250 L58).Comprehensive annotated bibliography in all languages in which the research was done. This bibliography is based on the periodical Byzantinische Zeitschrift, with annotations in German.
l'Annee Philologique. 1924- . annual.
(Online in Research Databases, 1959 to present. (Microfiche, 1924-1973; Bound, 1983-1998, Ref Index/Abstracts).An index with abstracts to scholarly work (books and articles) covering all aspects of Greco-Roman antiquity from the 2nd millenium B.C. through the early middle ages (ca. 500-800 A.D.). Covers Greek and Latin language and linguistics, Greek and Roman history, literature, philosophy, art, archaeology, religion, mythology, music, science, early Christian texts, numismatics, papyrology.
Bibliographic Index: A Cumulative Bibliography of Bibliographies . New York: H.W. Wilson. 1938- . semi-annual, annual, multi-year cumulations.
(Ref, Index Table 6)Indexes research bibliographies published in books and journals. All languages, geographic areas, and time periods.
Lambrino, Scarlat. Bibliographies de l'Antiquite Classique, 1896-1914 . Paris: Societe d'Edition "Les Belles Lettres," 1951- .
(Microfiche).
Marouzeau, Jules. Dix Annees de Bibliographies Classique; Bibliographie Critique et Analytique de l'Antiquite Greco-Latine pour la Periode 1914-1924 . New York: Burt Franklin [1969]. 2 vol.
(PA 3001 M35 1969).Also available on microfiche in Microforms Room.
Norton, Mary B. The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature . 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University, 1995. 2 vol.
(Ref D 20 A55 1995).The leading history bibliography. Byzantine studies are included.
Paetow, Louis J. A Guide to the Study of Medieval History . Rev. ed. New York: Kraus Reprint, 1959, 1931.
(Ref D 113 P19 1959).Scholarly guide that includes a discussion of the Byzantine Empire. Dated.
Recently Published Articles . Washington, D.C.: American Historical Association. 1976-1990.
(Index/Abstract Area) Vol. 1-15.Bibliography of articles published in scholarly journals worldwide. Comprehensive.
Carrier Library has few primary source materials for this period. One strategy for finding primary sources in LEO is to do a keyword search using subject words with the term, "sources." For example, a Word search in LEO for Byzantine and history and sources will return, among other titles, the first two items listed below.
Barker, Ernest. Social and Political Thought in Byzantium, from Justinian I to the Last Palaeologus; Passages from Byzantine Writers and Documents. Oxford: Clarendon, 1957.
(JC93 B3).The documents have brief introductions. Chronological table.
Byzantium: Church, Society, and Civilization Seen Through Contemporary Eyes. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1984.
(DF503 B983 1984)Topical arrangement. Appendices include maps and a list of emperors.
Internet Medieval Sourcebook
(Online)Sections on Byzantium and Late Antiquity include texts translated into English of legal material, saints' lives, monastic rules, canons of ecumenical councils.
Schaff, Philip and Henry Wace, eds. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church. Second Series. 14 vols. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1969-73.
(BR60 .S4 1968) also available online
Survey of Translations of Byzantine Saints' Lives
(Online)Fulll texts of saints' lives are not included; however, this survey is a finding aid for Byzantine saints' lives translated into modern European languages.
In addition to these sources, biographical information may be found in general and specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, and monographs on Byzantine studies. The Biography Index is useful because of its continual updating.
Barnhart, Clarence L., ed. The New Century Cyclopedia of Names. New York: Appleton-Century- Crofts, 1954. 3 vol.
(Ref PE1625 C43 1954)
Biography Index . New York: H.W. Wilson, 1946- .
Vols 1-13, 1946-1984, available in print on Index Table 4
Online, beginning July 1984, available online in Research Databases.Indexes biographical material in periodical articles and books.
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography; An International Reference Work. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973. 12 vol.
(Ref CT103 M27).Biographical sketches contain brief bibliographies.
Slocum, Robert B. Biographical Dictionaries and Related Works: An International Bibliography of Approximately 16,000 Collective Biographies... . 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale Research, 1986. 2 vol.
(Ref CT104 S55 1986).Comprehensive bibliography to biographical sources. Covers all languages and time periods. Advanced research.
Thomas, Joseph. Universal Pronouncing Dictionary of Biography and Mythology. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1930.
(Ref CT103 L7 1930)
Thorne, J.O., ed. Chamber's Biographical Dictionary. Ref. ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1968.
(Ref CT103 C4 1970)
The Harper Atlas of World History. New York: Harper & Row,1987.
(Ref G1030 G68513 1987)In addition to the many illustrations this atlas is valuable for its high quality maps. Our most recent historical atlas.
Shepherd, William R. Historical Atlas. 8th ed. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1956.
(Ref G1030 S4 1956).
Talbert, Richard J. A., ed. Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2000.
(Ref G 1033 .B3 2000)The atlas itself is quite large and kept on the atlas stand. There are two supplementary volumes, the "Map by Map" directories, and these are shelved at the same call number in the Reference Stacks. For each map, there is a table giving historical and current place names, and a bibliography.
The Times Atlas of World History. 4th ed. Maplewood, N.J.: Hammond, 1993.
(Ref G1030 T54 1993).The leading modern historical atlas.
Westermann, Georg, Firm, Publishers. Westermanns Grosser Atlas zur Weltgeschichte: Vorzeit, Altertum, Mittelalter, Neuzeit. Braunschweig., Westermanns, [1965].
(G1035 W4 1965)Useful for its detail including a map of Constantinople.
Directories can offer assistance in locating additional sources of information in other libraries. The advanced scholar/student having an expanded paper may find this type of information useful. Information from directories could include interlibrary loan possibilities, bibliographies and other publications, and possible advice from a subject specialist.
Ash, Lee. Subject Collections: A Guide to Special Book Collections and Subject Emphases as Reported by University, College, Public and Special Libraries and Museums in the United States and Canada. 7th ed., rev. and enl. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1993. 2 vol.
(Ref Z688 A2 A8 1993)Lists libraries having strong collections in Byzantine studies.
Associations Unlimited
Available online in Research Databases.Lists associations/organizations emphasizing Byzantine studies.
Below are links to a selection of electronic resources that are most useful for research concerning the Byzantine Empire. Remember, however, that history encompasses many areas of endeavor (e.g., Education, Art, Economics), so you will wish to check all databases that cover your area and time period of interest. Click here for Research Resources Home, where you may browse for other useful resources.
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Byzantine and Medieval Studies Sites
A major site with links to many Byzantine research sources.Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies
This institution, located in Washington, D.C., contains a major research library and museum collection. The website has digitized editions of publications and other research tools.
Byzantium: Byzantine Studies on the Internet
A major site with links to many sources on Byzantine research.
This page is maintained by: hardespn@jmu.edu
© James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
