The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium

FromLibraryJournalAfter35yearsthatwitnessedtheexplosionofinformationonvirtuallyeverysubject,weareintheageofsynthesis:encyclopediasanddictionariesabound.Withtherecent12-volumeDictionaryoftheMiddleAges(LJ2/1/83)andtheolderone-volumeOxfordClassicalDictionary(LJ5/1/71.2ded.),thisformsatrioofessentialresources.The100contributors,manyofthemdistinguishedexperts,havesucceededintheir"attempttocollectwithinasingleworkdataconcerningallfieldsofByzantinestudies."The5000-plusentriesprovideauthoritativecoveragenotonlyof"traditional"topicssuchasartandarchitecture,basilica,agriculture,chronology,geography,literature,medicine,militarystrategy,science,andtheology,butalsomanyfacetsofeverydaylife--baths,clocks,houses,locksandpadlocks,etc.Thesocialhistorianwillbeespeciallypleasedwiththeentriesonabortion,childbirth,criminalprocedure,foodanddiet,homosexuality,marriageandthefamily,names,prostitution,andslavery.Theeditordeservesspecialthanksfortheuniformlylucidandreadablestyle,fortheclearillustrations,andfortheusefulmaps,thoughthecaptionsarenotveryinformative.Threecaveats:manytermsappearonlyinGreektransliterationwithoutadequatedefinitionorexplanation;thebibliographiesareoftenskimpy;andthegenealogicaltableslacktheemperors'regnalyears.Still,thiswillendureasthefirstbookthebeginningstudentortheadvancedscholarwillreachforonthe1100-yearhistoryofByzantium.Academic,largepublic,andresearchlibrariesmustacquirethistreasure.-BennettD.Hill,GeorgetownUniv.,Washington,D.C.Copyright1991ReedBusinessInformation,Inc.Review"ThisreferenceworkisamajoreventforByzantinestudies....Thisisaremarkableaccomplishment,onethatbothspecialistsandtheeducatedpublicwillfinduseful."--Speculum"AnindispensablereferencetoolforByzantinistsandWesternmedievalists,aswellasanauthoritativesourceforthemorecasualreader."--ReligiousStudiesReview"Alandmarkachievementthathasnopeer....Canberecommendedwholeheartedlyasanindispensablereferenceworkofgreatworth."--Missiology"Theeditordeservesspecialthanksfortheuniformlylucidandreadablestyle,fortheclearillustrations,andfortheusefulmaps....Thiswillendureasthefirstbookthebeginningstudentortheadvancedscholarwillreachforonthe1100-yearhistoryofByzantium.Academic,largepublic,andresearchlibrariesmustacquirethistreasure."--LibraryJournal"Thestudentofreligionandthetheologianwillfindmuchofinterestthroughoutthesethreetomes."--TheologicalStudies"Anecessaryadditionforcollegeanduniversitylibrariesatalllevels."--Choice"Amagnificentprojectandwillprovetobeoneofthemostsignificantscholarlyresourcesinthelastquarterofthe20thcentury."--Review&Expositor"Throughoutthereisawelcomeattentiontorealiaandtodailylife....TheODBnowjoinstheOCDandtheODCCasanessentialreferenceworkforeveryacademicorpubliclibrary."--ReligiousStudiesReview"NorespectablelibrarycanaffordtoforgotheimmediatepurchaseoftheOxfordDictionaryofByzantium,becauseitwillbecitedthroughouttheworld,asthescholarlyreferenceonallmattersByzantine."--BiblicalArchaeologyReview"Satisfiesalong-feltneedforacomprehensivereferenceworkontheEasternempire....ThereisnootherreferenceworkthatcoverstheByzantineworldasthoroughlyastheODB....Anessentialpurchaseforacademiccollectionssupportingcurriculainarthistoryormedievalstudies."--RBB/Booklist