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Weird, decadent, degenerate, racially mixed, superstitious, theocratic, effeminate, and even hyper-literate, Byzantium has long been regarded by many as one big curiosity. According to Voltaire, it represented “a worthless collection of miracles, a disgrace for the human mind”; for Hegel, it was “a disgusting picture of imbecility.”

A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities will churn up these old prejudices, while also stimulating a deeper interest among readers in one of history’s most interesting civilizations. Many of the zanier tales and trivia that are collected here revolve around the political and religious life of Byzantium. Thus, stories of saints, relics, and their miracles-from the hilarious to the revolting-abound. Byzantine bureaucracy (whence the adjective “Byzantine”), court scandals, and elaborate penal code are world famous. And what would Byzantium be without its eunuchs, whose ambiguous gender produced odd and risible outcomes in different contexts? The book also contains sections on daily life that are equally eye-opening, including food (from aphrodisiacs to fermented fish sauce), games such as polo and acrobatics, and obnoxious views of foreigners and others (e.g., Germans, Catholics, Arabs, dwarves). But lest we overlook Byzantium’s more honorable contributions to civilization, also included are some of the marvels of Byzantine science and technology, from the military (flamethrowers and hand grenades) to the theatrical (“elevator” thrones, roaring mechanical lions) and medical (catheters and cures, some bizarre). This vast assortment of historical anomaly and absurdity sheds vital light on one of history’s most obscure and orthodox empires.

From the Publisher

Icon of St. Christophoros the Dog-Head (Kynokephalos) (Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens, originally from Asia Minor, 1685). Source: Wikimedia.

Image of Basil II (976-1025) in military attire and posture, subjecting subjects and foreign enemies alike; from his Psalter (Marcianus gr. 17, Venice). Source: Public Domain.

Icon of the Heavenly Ladder, a treatise of moral improvement and spiritual ascent written in the seventh century by Ioannes Klimax, or Klimakos (‘of the Ladder’). John is shown at the top leading the faithful to Christ, while demons try to pull them off through temptations and angels (top left) encourage them (Monastery of St. Catherine, Mt. Sinai, twelfth century). Source: Wikimedia.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (October 2, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0190625945
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0190625948
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.4 x 1 x 8.3 inches