Past and Present of Warfare
Category: Byzantine
Introduction Byzantine Empire was defined by its Roman heritage, Greek culture and Christian identity. Emperor was head of the state, but was also seen as protector of the faith, which meant that a heresy was automatically rebellion against the Empire. Because the Byzantine Empire was the only real holy Christian empire, Roman Emperor was automatically … Continue reading Religion and War in the Byzantine Empire
By AD 641., Roman Empire had lost its easternmost provinces. Income of the empire in the second half of 7th century was only about one-fifth (20%) of what it had been before the Arabic invasions. It has also lost most of its major urban centers, and those that remained would experience the process of reduction … Continue reading Byzantine Guerilla Warfare
Basic Principles Byzantine emperor Leo had defined strategy as utilization of theory and practice in adjusting to realities of warfare. Byzantine concept of strategy encompasses all aspects of warfare – everything that is today covered under strategy, operations, tactics, logistics and geography. Byzantines did not compartmentalize the skillset, as is done today. Byzantine emperors were, … Continue reading Basic Principles of Byzantine Strategy
Introduction Byzantines saw their conflict with Islam as a "conflict of civilizations" between traditional Roman world and a desert menace. But at first, this was not actually the case. Whereas Muslims had, from the start, separated the world into dar al-Islam ("Land of Islamd") and dar al-harb ("House of War"), from Roman point of view, … Continue reading Why Did Byzantine Empire Survive For So Long
History and War 