By Alexander P. Kazhdan
The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium is a three-volume, entire dictionary of Byzantine civilization. the 1st source of its sort within the box, it positive aspects over 5,000 entries written via a world crew of eminent Byzantinists overlaying all features of existence within the Byzantine international. in keeping with Alexander Kazhdan, editor-in-chief of the Dictionary: ''Entries on patriarchy and emperors will coexist with entries on surgical procedure and musical tools. An access at the cultivation of grain won't in basic terms be hooked up to entries on agriculture and its economics yet on nutrition, the baking of bread, and the function of bread during this altering society.'' significant entries deal with such issues as agriculture, paintings, literature, and politics, whereas shorter entries learn themes that relate to Byzantium similar to the historical past of Kiev and personalities of old and biblical background. every one article is via a bibliography, and various maps, tables, architectural designs, and genealogies toughen and make clear the textual content. the recent Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium could be the common examine software and reference paintings for Byzantinists from graduate scholars to complex students, and a necessary source for school and faculty libraries. it is going to even be a useful advisor for classicists, Western medievalists, Islamicists, Slavicists, artwork historians, non secular historians, and students of archaeology.