{"product_id":"9780199279685-basil-ii-and-the-governance-of-empire-976-1025","title":"Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976-1025)","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBasil presided over a Byzantium which was the superpower of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East in the century before the Crusades. This is a study in English of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, the 'Bulgar-slayer'. It reveals an empire that was governed by a potent mixture of subtle persuasion and brutal force. This is the first book-length study in English of the Byzantine emperor Basil II. Basil II, later known as 'Bulgar-slayer', is famous for his military conquests and his brutal intimidation of domestic foes. Catherine Holmes considers the problems Basil faced in governing a large, multi-ethnic empire, which stretched from southern Italy to Mesopotamia. Her close focus on the surviving historical narratives, above all the Synopsis Historion of John Skylitzes, reveals a Byzantium governed as much by persuasion as coercion. This book will appeal to those interested in Byzantium before the Crusades, the governance of pre-modern empires, and the methodology of writing early medieval political history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55207511785846,"sku":"9780199279685","price":261.91,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_26755164.jpg?v=1738207999","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9780199279685-basil-ii-and-the-governance-of-empire-976-1025","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}