The Byzantine Aristocracy and its Military Function

This volume presents a broad-ranging analysis of the Byzantine aristocracy of the 8th-12th centuries. The essays examine the evolution of aristocratic families and the composition of this group, the relative importance of landholding and public office, the notion of 'civilian' and 'military' families, and patterns of inheritance. They also focus on the Byzantine army, with studies looking both at the position of aristocrats within it, and more generally at the effectiveness of the army itself, notably in the campaigns in Asia Minor against the Arabs and the Turks.