对我而言，阅读本书就是一趟和各种名词奋力搏斗的有趣体验。

除了几个最大名鼎鼎的名字，关于拜占庭各个统治者及其家族谱系的那些名词，我基本上是举双手投降的。它们远在我那可怜巴巴的记忆力的可承受范围之外。我有自知之明。

至于东西哥特人、汪达尔人、苏维汇人、伦巴第人、阿瓦尔人、保加尔人这些蛮族的名字，我倒是和它们纠缠得津津有味。能有机会把它们的前因后果大致理清楚，实在受益匪浅。

而阿里乌斯派、聂斯脱里派、基督一性论、基督一力量论、基督一志论和破坏圣像派这类名词，就堪称走马灯般的烧脑了。尤其是前五者之间那不足外人道的精妙区分。

我天生记性差。现在有点超负荷了。

“Byzantium: The Early Centuries" by John Julius Norwich is a comprehensive and well-researched history book that offers readers an in-depth understanding of the Byzantine Empire. The book covers the political and social history of the empire, providing an overview of its cultural and religious developments. Throughout the book, Norwich provides a detailed account of the Byzantine emperors and their successes and failures. He also describes the complex relationships between the empire and its neighbors, including the Arabs, Persians, and Bulgars.

One of the book's most notable features is its exploration of the rise of Christianity in the Byzantine world and the role it played in shaping the empire's culture and politics. Norwich delves into the intricacies of the religious changes that occurred during this period, including the disputes between the Eastern and Western churches and the role of the emperor in religious affairs. Readers will gain insight into how Christianity impacted the Byzantine Empire and how it influenced the empire's interactions with other nations.

Norwich's writing style is engaging and informative, making "Byzantium: The Early Centuries" accessible to a wide range of readers. The book is ideal for scholars and students of Byzantine history, but also appeals to anyone interested in the broader history of the Mediterranean world. The author's extensive research is evident throughout the book, and his attention to detail provides a comprehensive overview of the Byzantine Empire during the early centuries.

In conclusion, "Byzantium: The Early Centuries" is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand the history of the Byzantine Empire. Norwich's engaging and informative writing style, combined with his extensive research, makes this book an essential addition to any library or reading list on Byzantine history.

A pleasant, if exhaustive, introduction to the history of this critical civilization. The book is rich in detail and atmosphere, its author keeping as true as possible to a straight course through the founding emperors, their politics, their wars. Eminently accessible; it reads like a fable.

Norwich admits that this work is an over view of Byzantine history, and it meets that requirement in spades. Well written, a few writer detours in history, but not many and they add to the story, and well cited. What more could a history buff ask for. Great overview and I have already started the next in the series.

If you cannot read Gibbon's epic, this book is surely the one. Unearthed lot of new facts and stories I had no idea about.

Very readable history of Byzantium. If you are planning a trip to Constantinople (Constantinopolis as our local tour guides kept referring to it as) but have not finished the book prior to your trip, please check the back pages of the book where Norwich VERY helpfully refers to what (or what was) still in existence and roughly where to find the structures.

4.5

A pleasingly written political narrative of the Byzantine concept from Diocletian to Irene. It's quite cursory but very readable and digestible, not really an academic text but that makes it fun to read. There are a few witty asides that add colour but by the end the author is overstepping the mark in weighing in on the quality or lack thereof of ideas and individuals in a way that becomes distracting. But worth a read regardless.

Love Norwich as a historical writer. The history of Byzantium is amazing, compelling, radiant, grand, depraved, elegant and long. As it has been said you cant make this stuff up. Norwich is true to bringing the vibrancy to life again (along with his sly humor, and opinions which only colors the events he describes). Once read one wonders why even bother with Rome? When I finished volume 3 I was sad that it did have an end just like a novel. It's a set that remains in my library. I have read it twice.

In my opinion the definitive series on byzantine history. The style is engaging for amateur and veteran historians alike. The author did his research well and it shows. The level of detail is pretty solid for a broad general history like this. If someone was asking for a general history or understand of the Byzantium era this is the gold standard to my eyes.

A phenomenal history of the development of the Eastern Roman Empire founded by Constantine the Great following the Battle of the Milvian. Lord Norwich uncovers a rich history of desperate battles, conquest, religious fervor, implacable enemies and the development of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The writing is as majestic as it is rich in narrative. If you called yourself a historian, the absence of this book from your library is a cardinal sin.

Norwich's history is a great accomplishment of 'top-down' narrative history. Now, for another book which will give me some solid social, economic and intellectual history.