Byzantine Ideas of Persia, 650–1461

ISBN-13: 9781032070674 / Angielski

Rustam Shukurov

Opis

This book offers a study into the perceptions of ancient and medieval Iran in the Byzantine Empire, as well as the effects of Persian culture upon Byzantine intellectualism, society, and culture.

Byzantine Ideas of Persia, 650-1461 focuses on the place of ancient Persia in Byzantine cultural memory, both in the "religious" and the "secular" sense. By analysing a wide range of historical sources – from church literature to belles-lettres – this book provides an examination of the place of ancient Persia in Byzantine cultural memory, as well as the place and function of Persian motifs in the Byzantine mentality. Additionally, the author uses these sources to analyse thoroughly the knowledge Byzantines had about contemporary Iranian culture, the presence of ethnic Iranians and the circulation and usage of the Persian language in Byzantium. Finally, this book discusses the importance and influence of Iranian science on Byzantine scholars.

This book will appeal to scholars and students interested in Byzantine and Iranian History, particularly in reference to the cross-cultural and social influence of the two societies during the Middle Ages.

Spis treści

Introduction / Chapter 1. Sacred Persia / Chapter 2. The pre-history of the Magi / Chapter 3. The holy Persians / Chapter 4. Memorizing Persia / Chapter 5. Activating memory / Chapter 6. Vicissitudes of wisdom / Chapter 7. Iranian Actualities / Appendix: A list of some remarkable New Persian borrowings / A Greco-Iranian epilogue

O autorze

Rustam Shukurov, PhD, D.Sc. in History (2012), is a Visiting Researcher at the University of St Andrews. He graduated from Moscow State University in 1984 and worked there for more than 30 years as a lecturer in Byzantine and Medieval studies. He has published several monographs, translations, and articles on Byzantium, Iranian and Turkic History, including The Grand Komnenoi and the Orient, 1204–1461 (Moscow, 2001) and The Byzantine Turks, 1204–1461 (Leiden; Boston, 2016).