Greek Fire and Its Contribution to Byzantine Might

Greek Fire and Its Contribution to Byzantine Might

Author: Konstantinos Karatolios

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2013-12-30

Total Pages: 46

ISBN-13: 9781304752314

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The wonder of the thousand-year Byzantine Empire could not have been achieved without its armed forces, allowing it to maintain its power in the face of constant challenges from external enemies that differed significantly in their nature. In this context, what had been inherited from the Romans was just as important as the adoption of new weapons and tactics in battle. "Greek fire" was used throughout the course of the Byzantine Empire and granted resounding victories to its navy. This terrifying weapon was legendary, yet almost all we know about it and its use is clouded by the vagueness of contemporary accounts. This work attempts to answer a number of questions concerning Greek Fire: What was the formula? How effective was it? Who was its true inventor ? How was it used in battles on land and at sea? This book aims not only to provide an overview of the current state of research that can be easily read by non-specialists, but also to contribute to the study of the subject.


Book Synopsis Greek Fire and Its Contribution to Byzantine Might by : Konstantinos Karatolios

Download or read book Greek Fire and Its Contribution to Byzantine Might written by Konstantinos Karatolios and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2013-12-30 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The wonder of the thousand-year Byzantine Empire could not have been achieved without its armed forces, allowing it to maintain its power in the face of constant challenges from external enemies that differed significantly in their nature. In this context, what had been inherited from the Romans was just as important as the adoption of new weapons and tactics in battle. "Greek fire" was used throughout the course of the Byzantine Empire and granted resounding victories to its navy. This terrifying weapon was legendary, yet almost all we know about it and its use is clouded by the vagueness of contemporary accounts. This work attempts to answer a number of questions concerning Greek Fire: What was the formula? How effective was it? Who was its true inventor ? How was it used in battles on land and at sea? This book aims not only to provide an overview of the current state of research that can be easily read by non-specialists, but also to contribute to the study of the subject.

Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization

Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization

Author: Elizabeth Jeffreys

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2006-10-12

Total Pages: 422

ISBN-13: 0521834457

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A volume of cutting-edge essays written in honour of renowned Byzantinist Sir Steven Runciman.


Book Synopsis Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization by : Elizabeth Jeffreys

Download or read book Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization written by Elizabeth Jeffreys and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-10-12 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A volume of cutting-edge essays written in honour of renowned Byzantinist Sir Steven Runciman.

Greek Fire

Greek Fire

Author: Nicholas Gage

Publisher: Vision

Published: 2001-10-01

Total Pages: 640

ISBN-13: 9780446610766

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Packed with newly uncovered secrets, this account of the romance of Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis and opera diva Maria Callas reveals their full story. Drawing from the private papers of Callas, the author tracks their relationship, from Onassis's pursuit of Callas throughout Europe to the strange covert courtship conducted prior to his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.


Book Synopsis Greek Fire by : Nicholas Gage

Download or read book Greek Fire written by Nicholas Gage and published by Vision. This book was released on 2001-10-01 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Packed with newly uncovered secrets, this account of the romance of Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis and opera diva Maria Callas reveals their full story. Drawing from the private papers of Callas, the author tracks their relationship, from Onassis's pursuit of Callas throughout Europe to the strange covert courtship conducted prior to his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.

The Byzantine Warrior Hero

The Byzantine Warrior Hero

Author: Chrysovalantis Kyriacou

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-12-16

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1793621993

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Chrysovalantis Kyriacou examines how memories of the pre-Christian past, Christian militarism, power struggles, and ethnoreligious encounters have left their long-term imprint on Cypriot culture. One of the most impressive examples of this phenomenon is the preservation and transformative adaptation of Byzantine heroic themes, motifs, and symbols in Cypriot folk songs. By combining a variety of written sources and archaeological material in his interdisciplinary examination, the author reconstructs the image of the Byzantine warrior hero in the songs, recovering the mentalities of overshadowed social protagonists and stressing the role of subaltern communities as active agents in the shaping of history.


Book Synopsis The Byzantine Warrior Hero by : Chrysovalantis Kyriacou

Download or read book The Byzantine Warrior Hero written by Chrysovalantis Kyriacou and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-12-16 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chrysovalantis Kyriacou examines how memories of the pre-Christian past, Christian militarism, power struggles, and ethnoreligious encounters have left their long-term imprint on Cypriot culture. One of the most impressive examples of this phenomenon is the preservation and transformative adaptation of Byzantine heroic themes, motifs, and symbols in Cypriot folk songs. By combining a variety of written sources and archaeological material in his interdisciplinary examination, the author reconstructs the image of the Byzantine warrior hero in the songs, recovering the mentalities of overshadowed social protagonists and stressing the role of subaltern communities as active agents in the shaping of history.

Lost to the West

Lost to the West

Author: Lars Brownworth

Publisher: Crown

Published: 2010-06-01

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 0307407969

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Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy. For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, keeping Christianity alive. Streams of wealth flowed into Constantinople, making possible unprecedented wonders of art and architecture. And the emperors who ruled Byzantium enacted a saga of political intrigue and conquest as astonishing as anything in recorded history. Lost to the West is replete with stories of assassination, mass mutilation and execution, sexual scheming, ruthless grasping for power, and clashing armies that soaked battlefields with the blood of slain warriors numbering in the tens of thousands.


Book Synopsis Lost to the West by : Lars Brownworth

Download or read book Lost to the West written by Lars Brownworth and published by Crown. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy. For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, keeping Christianity alive. Streams of wealth flowed into Constantinople, making possible unprecedented wonders of art and architecture. And the emperors who ruled Byzantium enacted a saga of political intrigue and conquest as astonishing as anything in recorded history. Lost to the West is replete with stories of assassination, mass mutilation and execution, sexual scheming, ruthless grasping for power, and clashing armies that soaked battlefields with the blood of slain warriors numbering in the tens of thousands.

Margins and Metropolis

Margins and Metropolis

Author: Judith Herrin

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2013-03-18

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 140084522X

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This volume explores the political, cultural, and ecclesiastical forces that linked the metropolis of Byzantium to the margins of its far-flung empire. Focusing on the provincial region of Hellas and Peloponnesos in central and southern Greece, Judith Herrin shows how the prestige of Constantinople was reflected in the military, civilian, and ecclesiastical officials sent out to govern the provinces. She evokes the ideology and culture of the center by examining different aspects of the imperial court, including diplomacy, ceremony, intellectual life, and relations with the church. Particular topics treat the transmission of mathematical manuscripts, the burning of offensive material, and the church's role in distributing philanthropy. Herrin contrasts life in the capital with provincial life, tracing the adaptation of a largely rural population to rule by Constantinople from the early medieval period onward. The letters of Michael Choniates, archbishop of Athens from 1182 to 1205, offer a detailed account of how this highly educated cleric coped with life in an imperial backwater, and demonstrate a synthesis of ancient Greek culture and medieval Christianity that was characteristic of the Byzantine elite. This collection of essays spans the entirety of Herrin's influential career and draws together a significant body of scholarship on problems of empire. It features a general introduction, two previously unpublished essays, and a concise introduction to each essay that describes how it came to be written and how it fits into her broader analysis of the unusual brilliance and longevity of Byzantium.


Book Synopsis Margins and Metropolis by : Judith Herrin

Download or read book Margins and Metropolis written by Judith Herrin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-03-18 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the political, cultural, and ecclesiastical forces that linked the metropolis of Byzantium to the margins of its far-flung empire. Focusing on the provincial region of Hellas and Peloponnesos in central and southern Greece, Judith Herrin shows how the prestige of Constantinople was reflected in the military, civilian, and ecclesiastical officials sent out to govern the provinces. She evokes the ideology and culture of the center by examining different aspects of the imperial court, including diplomacy, ceremony, intellectual life, and relations with the church. Particular topics treat the transmission of mathematical manuscripts, the burning of offensive material, and the church's role in distributing philanthropy. Herrin contrasts life in the capital with provincial life, tracing the adaptation of a largely rural population to rule by Constantinople from the early medieval period onward. The letters of Michael Choniates, archbishop of Athens from 1182 to 1205, offer a detailed account of how this highly educated cleric coped with life in an imperial backwater, and demonstrate a synthesis of ancient Greek culture and medieval Christianity that was characteristic of the Byzantine elite. This collection of essays spans the entirety of Herrin's influential career and draws together a significant body of scholarship on problems of empire. It features a general introduction, two previously unpublished essays, and a concise introduction to each essay that describes how it came to be written and how it fits into her broader analysis of the unusual brilliance and longevity of Byzantium.

A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder

A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder

Author: James Riddick Partington

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 432

ISBN-13: 9780801859540

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For nearly 600 years, from battles of the early 14th century to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima, firearms derived from gunpowder and other chemicals defined the frightful extent of war. In this classic work, first published in 1960, distinguished historian James Riddick Partington provides a worldwide survey of the evolution of incendiary devices, Greek fire, and gunpowder. 21 illustrations.


Book Synopsis A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder by : James Riddick Partington

Download or read book A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder written by James Riddick Partington and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For nearly 600 years, from battles of the early 14th century to the dropping of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima, firearms derived from gunpowder and other chemicals defined the frightful extent of war. In this classic work, first published in 1960, distinguished historian James Riddick Partington provides a worldwide survey of the evolution of incendiary devices, Greek fire, and gunpowder. 21 illustrations.

The Age of the ΔΡΟΜΩΝ

The Age of the ΔΡΟΜΩΝ

Author: John Pryor

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2006-07-01

Total Pages: 838

ISBN-13: 9047409930

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This volume examines the development and evolution of the war galley known as the Dromon, and its relative, the Chelandion, from first appearance in the sixth century until its supercession in the twelfth century by the Galea developed in the Latin West. Beginning as a small, fully-decked, monoreme galley, by the tenth century the Dromon had become a bireme, the pre-eminent war galley of the Mediterranean. The salient features of these ships were their two-banked oarage system, the spurs at their bows which replaced the ram of classical antiquity, their lateen sails, and their primary weapon: Greek Fire. The book contextualizes the technical characteristics of the ships within the operational history of Byzantine fleets, logistical problems of medieval naval warfare, and strategic objectives. Surviving Byzantine sources, especially tactical manuals, are subjected to close literary and philological analysis.


Book Synopsis The Age of the ΔΡΟΜΩΝ by : John Pryor

Download or read book The Age of the ΔΡΟΜΩΝ written by John Pryor and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2006-07-01 with total page 838 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines the development and evolution of the war galley known as the Dromon, and its relative, the Chelandion, from first appearance in the sixth century until its supercession in the twelfth century by the Galea developed in the Latin West. Beginning as a small, fully-decked, monoreme galley, by the tenth century the Dromon had become a bireme, the pre-eminent war galley of the Mediterranean. The salient features of these ships were their two-banked oarage system, the spurs at their bows which replaced the ram of classical antiquity, their lateen sails, and their primary weapon: Greek Fire. The book contextualizes the technical characteristics of the ships within the operational history of Byzantine fleets, logistical problems of medieval naval warfare, and strategic objectives. Surviving Byzantine sources, especially tactical manuals, are subjected to close literary and philological analysis.

A Companion to Byzantine Science

A Companion to Byzantine Science

Author:

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2020-01-13

Total Pages: 674

ISBN-13: 9004414614

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Science in Byzantium has rarely been systematically explored. A first of its kind, this collection of essays highlights the disciplines, achievements, and contexts of Byzantine science across the eleven centuries of the Byzantine empire. After an introduction on science in Byzantium and the 21st century, and a study of Christianization and the teaching of science in Byzantium, it offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the scientific disciplines cultivated in Byzantium, from the exact to the natural sciences, medicine, polemology, and the occult sciences. The volume showcases the diversity and vivacity of the varied scientific endeavours in the Byzantine world across its long history, and aims to bring the field into broader conversations within Byzantine studies, medieval studies, and history of science. Contributors are Fabio Acerbi, Anne-Laurence Caudano, Gonzalo Andreotti Cruz, Katerina Ierodiakonou, Herve Inglebert, Stavros Lazaris, Divna Manolova, Maria K. Papathanassiou, Inmaculada Pérez Martín, Thomas Salmon, Ioannis Telelis, Anne Tihon, Alain Touwaide, Arnaud Zucker.


Book Synopsis A Companion to Byzantine Science by :

Download or read book A Companion to Byzantine Science written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-01-13 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science in Byzantium has rarely been systematically explored. A first of its kind, this collection of essays highlights the disciplines, achievements, and contexts of Byzantine science across the eleven centuries of the Byzantine empire. After an introduction on science in Byzantium and the 21st century, and a study of Christianization and the teaching of science in Byzantium, it offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the scientific disciplines cultivated in Byzantium, from the exact to the natural sciences, medicine, polemology, and the occult sciences. The volume showcases the diversity and vivacity of the varied scientific endeavours in the Byzantine world across its long history, and aims to bring the field into broader conversations within Byzantine studies, medieval studies, and history of science. Contributors are Fabio Acerbi, Anne-Laurence Caudano, Gonzalo Andreotti Cruz, Katerina Ierodiakonou, Herve Inglebert, Stavros Lazaris, Divna Manolova, Maria K. Papathanassiou, Inmaculada Pérez Martín, Thomas Salmon, Ioannis Telelis, Anne Tihon, Alain Touwaide, Arnaud Zucker.

Greek Fire

Greek Fire

Author: James Boschert

Publisher:

Published: 2013-05-01

Total Pages: 544

ISBN-13: 9781611792553

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In the fourth book of Talon, James Boschert delivers fast-paced adventures, packed with violent confrontations and intrepid heroes up against hard odds. Imprisoned for brawling in Acre, a coastal city in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Talon and his longtime friend Max are freed by an old mentor from the Order of the Templars and offered a new mission in the fabled city of Constantinople. There Talon finds that winning the Emperor's favor obligates him to follow the Emperor to war in a willful expedition to free Byzantine lands from the Seljuk Turks. And beneath the pageantry of the great city, seditious plans are being fomented by disaffected aristocrats who have made a reckless deal with Arab pirates to sell the one weapon the Byzantine Empire has to defend itself, Greek Fire, to an implacable enemy bent upon the Empire's destruction. Talon and Max will find themselves in a fight for their lives - on the sea in perilous battles, and in the labyrinthine back streets of Constantinople where Talon must outwit his own kind, the assassins in the pay of a treacherous alliance.


Book Synopsis Greek Fire by : James Boschert

Download or read book Greek Fire written by James Boschert and published by . This book was released on 2013-05-01 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the fourth book of Talon, James Boschert delivers fast-paced adventures, packed with violent confrontations and intrepid heroes up against hard odds. Imprisoned for brawling in Acre, a coastal city in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Talon and his longtime friend Max are freed by an old mentor from the Order of the Templars and offered a new mission in the fabled city of Constantinople. There Talon finds that winning the Emperor's favor obligates him to follow the Emperor to war in a willful expedition to free Byzantine lands from the Seljuk Turks. And beneath the pageantry of the great city, seditious plans are being fomented by disaffected aristocrats who have made a reckless deal with Arab pirates to sell the one weapon the Byzantine Empire has to defend itself, Greek Fire, to an implacable enemy bent upon the Empire's destruction. Talon and Max will find themselves in a fight for their lives - on the sea in perilous battles, and in the labyrinthine back streets of Constantinople where Talon must outwit his own kind, the assassins in the pay of a treacherous alliance.