ABSTRACT
The Roman Empire in the east, which we call Byzantine, was much longer lived than other empires in the near east or Europe, surviving for about a thousand years. During that exceptional span of existence, periods of military expansion, notably under Justinian in the sixth century and under the Macedonian dynasty (870 to 1070), alternated with periods of great difficulty and loss of power. During much of their history the Byzantines were militarily, and in other ways, on the defensive, and were confronted with an expanding Islam which was more powerful than they were. Their ability to maintain their brilliant civilization in such difficult circumstances for so long, and actually to spread it far and wide among more primitive peoples beyond the limits of their rule, must still excite our admiration. The means they used are very pertinent to our study.
