The Byzantine Empire


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.6 stars; 7 reviews)

A concise and comprehensive guide to the Byzantine empire from Constantine to its dissolution. Foord explores in an accessible manner why it was important to history, the significance of noteworthy events, and how it eventually fell. While sometimes describing the experience of the everyday people, he mainly focuses on the wars and policies of Byzantine emperors. (Summary by Elsie Selwyn) (14 hr 32 min)

Chapters

Preface 3:19 Read by Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
Byzantium and Constantinople the Peerless Capital 22:14 Read by esharp
Constantine to Arcadius - Barbarian Influence 31:35 Read by KevinS
Theodosius II to Justinian I - Reorganization 46:57 Read by Ariphron
Justinian I 46:31 Read by Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
Justinian's Successors - Weakness and Decay 27:29 Read by MajorHistory
The Onset and Repulse of Iran - the coming of Islam 1:05:05 Read by MajorHistory
The Warrior Heracliads 57:00 Read by MajorHistory
Destruction of the Work of the Heracliads 36:33 Read by MajorHistory
The Repulse of Islam 48:34 Read by MajorHistory
The Iconoclasts 53:11 Read by MajorHistory
The Naval and Military Systems 24:16 Read by MajorHistory
Irene's Successors to Michael III 59:15 Read by MajorHistory
The Early Macedonians - Part 1 30:45 Read by MajorHistory
The Early Macedonians - Part 2 31:03 Read by MajorHistory
The Great Conquerors - Part 1 35:01 Read by MajorHistory
The Great Conquerors - Part 2 36:08 Read by MajorHistory
The Age of Women 38:23 Read by MajorHistory
The Coming of the Turks 23:37 Read by Ryan Fahey
The Comnenoi - the Last Great Rally, Part 1 32:58 Read by MajorHistory
The Comnenoi - the Last Great Rally, Part 2 37:53 Read by MajorHistory
The Angeloi - the Traitor's Stroke 33:04 Read by MajorHistory
Epilogue - The Death Agony 35:37 Read by KevinS
Byzantine Society - the Empire's Place in History 15:52 Read by Diana Majlinger

Reviews

wonderful detail and clear speech


(5 stars)

Edward Foord in 1911 published this enormously detailed unbiased description of the empire from beginning to its end in 1453. I was hooked throughout.

Great job


(5 stars)

Superbly read And very well written librevox needs a few dozen more well read histories Start

correction: that should have been the XI


(4.5 stars)

My error