Routledge Book Italy and the East Roman World in the Medieval Mediterranean: Empire, Cities and Elites, 476-1204

Product Description

This Routledge publication surveys the connections between Italy and the East Roman world during the medieval Mediterranean period, spanning roughly from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the early 13th century. The study situates urban elites, civic authorities, and the broader political economy of ports and cities within the Adriatic and Mediterranean basins, highlighting how imperial status, local governance, and long-distance exchange shaped regional development. Drawing on material culture, documentary sources, and geographic breadth, the book investigates how cities negotiated governance, trade networks, and cultural exchange under overarching imperial influence. The volume is positioned within the Birmingham Byzantine and Ottoman Studies series, signalling a scholarly, interdisciplinary approach to late antique and medieval urban life. The edition comprises 400 pages and is published in paperback, offering a substantial, accessible reference for researchers and students of medieval history, late antiquity, and Mediterranean studies. It provides structured chapters that can support focused reading on topics such as state-society relations, urban topography, and elite networks, making it useful for academic courses, seminar preparation, or independent study. The work contributes to understanding continuity and transformation in the Mediterranean world across a period of significant political change, by connecting regional Italian contexts with broader East Roman dynamics. While specific case studies and arguments vary across chapters, the volume collectively broadens awareness of how Italian cities interfaced with the East Roman empire, shedding light on the complex interplay of empire, urban life, and elite networks during this era.