The Art of War in Byzantium :
Military Thought, Strategy, and Cross-Cultural Conflict
Postgraduate Programme — Level 7
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion, students will be able to:
1)
Demonstrate advanced knowledge of Byzantine military institutions, structures, and strategic traditions
2)
Explain key phases of medieval military history and intercultural geopolitical relations
3)
Analyze Byzantine military thought using historiographical and theoretical frameworks
4)
Critically evaluate and interpret primary sources related to medieval warfare
5)
Apply interdisciplinary methods to conduct original historical research
6)
Compare and evaluate competing scholarly interpretations of military events
7)
Construct coherent, research-based academic arguments regarding military history
8)
Communicate complex historical ideas effectively in oral and written formats
COURSE SYLLABUS
13 Modules
Week 01 | Medieval and Byzantine Military History
Introduction to the field of military history – interpretative tools and approaches – the development of research on warfare in the Middle Ages and Byzantium – the “culture” of medieval war
Week 02 | Byzantine Military Manuals
The Byzantine military treatises, the so-called Taktika, and their role in the organization and conduct of warfare – influences and impacts – the formation of Byzantine “grand” strategy
Week 03 | Leadership: The Byzantine general
The image of the Byzantine general – illustrative examples from historical sources – the concept of leadership and its role in warfare – the emperor as general and warrior
Week 04 | The Byzantine Army
Organization, recruitment, and training of the Byzantine army – the ”themes” and their evolution – categories of troops (cavalry, infantry) – mercenaries and their contribution to warfare – illustrative examples from historical sources
Week 05 | The “art” of war: Battles and Sieges
An analysis of the tactics and strategy of land warfare – organization and logistics – the importance of geographical factors – the art of siege warfare – major campaigns and battlefields – illustrative examples from historical sources.”
Week 06 | Military technology
Byzantine weapons – innovations and changes in the form of warfare – influences and developments – illustrative examples from historical sources
Week 07 | Warfare and exchange I: Byzantium and the peoples of the steppe
The peoples of the steppe and their military characteristics – conflicts and battle tactics – interactions – illustrative examples from historical sources
Week 08 | Warfare and exchange II: Byzantium and the Arabs
The Arabs and their military characteristics – conflicts and battle tactics – interactions – illustrative examples from historical sources
Week 09 | The Crusades and Byzantium: The case of the Normans
The emergence of the Normans and their conflicts with Byzantium – tactics and weapons – illustrative examples from historical sources.
Week 10 | The Ottomans
The emergence and expansion of the Ottomans – military tactics and strategy – illustrative examples from historical sources
Week 11 | The Byzantine “military” ideology
Fundamental principles of Byzantine warfare – defensive and ‘just’ war: from theory to practice – factors shaping Byzantine ‘military’ ideology – the role of the Church – conceptions of war and peace
Week 12 | The “history” of Byzantine warfare: an evaluation
Overall assessment of Byzantine warfare (principles, concepts, theory, practice) – judgments and conclusions – methodologies – work on the written essays (the topic will be given in the first weeks)
Week 13 | Presentation of the written essays
Presentation of students’ essays
ASSESSMENT
Student Evaluation
20%
Seminar Participation
20%
Primary Source Analysis
20%
Public presentation
40%
Research Essay
Workload — ECTS Distribution
250 Hours Total
Lectures
18
Seminar discussions
11
Primary source workshops
21
Study and analysis of bibliography
25
Student presentations
10
Independent study
90
Essay writing
75
Course Total
250
Recommended Bibliography
Suggested bibliography:
- Birkenmeier , The development of the Komnenian Army, 1081-1180, Leiden- Boston-Köln 2002.
- Contamine , War in the Middle Ages, Oxford 1986.
- Haldon , Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine world, 565-1204, London 1999.
- Haldon , Byzantium at War, 600-1453. Essential Histories, Oxford 2003.
- Haldon (ed.), Byzantine Warfare, Aldershot 2007.
- Kaegi , Army, Society and Religion in Byzantium, London, VR, 1982.
- Kaegi , Some Thoughts on Byzantine Military Strategy, Brookline, Mass.: Hellenic College Press, 1983.
- Kolias G., Byzantinische Waffen. Ein Beitrag zur byzantinischen Waffenkunde von den Anfängen bis zur lateinischen Eroberung [Byzantina Vindobonesia 17], Wien 1988.
- Koutrakou , Diplomacy and espionage: their role in byzantine foreign relations, 8th
- 10th centuries, in: J. Haldon (ed.), Byzantine Warfare, Aldershot 2007, 529-
- Kyriakidis , Warfare in Late Byzantium, 1204-1453, Leiden 2011.
- Luttwak E.N., The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire, Cambridge- Massachusetts-London 2009.
- Nicolle D.C., Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era: 1050-1350, vol. Α΄-Β΄, Ν. Υork 1988.
- Parry J. – Yapp M.E. (ed.), War, technology and society in the Middle East, London, York, Toronto 1975.Rogers (ed.), The Oxford encyclopedia of medieval warfare and military technology, vol.1-3, Oxford 2010.
- Stouraitis , Jihād and Crusade: Byzantine positions towards the notions of “holy war”, Βυζαντινά Σύμμεικτα 21 (2011), 11-63.
- Stouraitis I. – Soustal P. (ed.), Byzantine war ideology between Roman imperial concept and Christian religion, Akten des Internationalen Symposiums, Wien, 19.-21. Mai 2011, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien 2012.
- Synkellou E., Ο πόλεμος στον δυτικό ελλαδικό χώρο κατά τον ύστερο Μεσαίωνα (13ος-15ος αι.) [Ε.Ι.Ε./Ι.Β.Ε., Μονογραφίες 8], Athens 2008.
- Synkellou E., “Reflections on Byzantine “war ideology” in Late Byzantium”, in: Byzantine war ideology between Roman imperial concept and Christian religion, Akten des Internationalen Symposiums, Wien, 19.-21. Mai 2011 (ed. Soustal P. – Stouraitis I.), Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien 2012, 99-107.
- Theotokis , The art of war in Byzantium, Yorkshire 2024.
- Theotokis G., The campaign and the battle of Matzikert, Yorkshire 2024
- Theotokis G. – Sidiropoulos D. (ed.), Byzantine Military Rhetoric in the Ninth Century: A Translation of the Anonymi Byzantini Rhetorica Militaris, London-N. York
- Theotokis (ed.), Byzantine Military Tactics in Syria and Mesopotamia in the 10th century. A comparative study, Edinburgh 2018.
- Treadgold , Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081, Stanford 1998.
- Tsiknakis C. (ed.), Το εμπόλεμο Βυζάντιο (9ος-12ος αι.), Athens 1997.