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David Turner,  Byzantium : The 'alternative' history of Europe

If there is an alternative history of Europe, is there an alternative way of interpreting Europe and her broader philosophical, political, social and cultural heritage? In other words, can the study of "Byzantium" constitute a pleasantly subversive activity on the threshold of the twenty-first century? ... We should first ask what "Byzantium" actually was, given that at no time in history was there ever a state that called itself "Byzantium". In fact there was no official name whatsoever for that polity. The term "Byzantium" was invented by 16th-century French humanists. (One is reminded of the primitive idea that if you give something a name, you effectively bring it under your control)...  Read Complete

         Cf.  3 Posts on the fall of Byzantium, Yeats : Sailing to Byzantium (1927), Byzantium (1930) * Aspects of Byzantium in Modern Popular Music * Berl, The West Owed Everything to Byzantium * Vasilief, A History of the Byzantine Empire * Constantelos, Greek Orthodoxy - From Apostolic Times to the Present Day * Valery, What is to Become of the European Spirit? * Nietzsche, The European Nihilism * Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism * Pope Benedict XVI, The Papal Science * J. O. y Gassett, The Revolt of the Masses  * CONSTANTINOPLE