{"product_id":"a-cabinet-of-byzantine-curiosities-strange-tales-and-surprising-facts-from-historys-most-orthodox-empire-hardcover","title":"A Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities: Strange Tales and Surprising Facts from History's Most Orthodox Empire - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eAnthony Kaldellis\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeird, decadent, degenerate, racially mixed, superstitious, theocratic, effeminate, and even hyper-literate, Byzantium has long been regarded by many as one big curiosity. According to Voltaire, it represented \"a worthless collection of miracles, a disgrace for the human mind\"; for Hegel, it was \"a disgusting picture of imbecility.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cabinet of Byzantine Curiosities\u003c\/em\u003e will churn up these old prejudices, while also stimulating a deeper interest among readers in one of history's most interesting civilizations. Many of the zanier tales and trivia that are collected here revolve around the political and religious life of Byzantium. Thus, stories of saints, relics, and their miracles-from the hilarious to the revolting-abound. Byzantine bureaucracy (whence the adjective \"Byzantine\"), court scandals, and elaborate penal code are world famous. And what would Byzantium be without its eunuchs, whose ambiguous gender produced odd and risible outcomes in different contexts? The book also contains sections on daily life that are equally eye-opening, including food (from aphrodisiacs to fermented fish sauce), games such as polo and acrobatics, and obnoxious views of foreigners and others (e.g., Germans, Catholics, Arabs, dwarves). But lest we overlook Byzantium's more honorable contributions to civilization, also included are\u003cbr\u003esome of the marvels of Byzantine science and technology, from the military (flamethrowers and hand grenades) to the theatrical (\"elevator\" thrones, roaring mechanical lions) and medical (catheters and cures, some bizarre). This vast assortment of historical anomaly and absurdity sheds vital light on one of history's most obscure and orthodox empires.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnthony Kaldellis \u003c\/strong\u003eis Professor of Classics at The Ohio State University, and the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Christian Parthenon: Classicism and Pilgrimage in Byzantine Athens, Hellenism in Byzantium: The Transformations of Greek Identity and the Reception of the Classical Tradition, \u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eStreams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 248\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 8.3 x 5.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 02, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52030422483245,"sku":"9780190625948","price":23.38,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/bFJNdWhhWnUvSmVFblhESFdMUnZSZz09.webp?v=1777520878","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/a-cabinet-of-byzantine-curiosities-strange-tales-and-surprising-facts-from-historys-most-orthodox-empire-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}