Memestinian

>>2937837
I know fuck all about the Byzantium empire, but I have been reading about the Romanovs and they were obsessed with them much like the West was with the big Roman empire.

Does anyone know any good books about them?

>>2937837
I wouldn't bother with Africa. In the end, it wasn't worth decades of effort. Focus on Italy, East, and, most importantly, economy.

>>2937837
>Research more on the conditions of Italy Spain and Carthage, do not solely rely on the report of pro roman merchants etc who are minority.
>Do not marry an ex whore, do not change laws to marry an ex whore
>Do not spend the treasury filled due to Anastaius' brilliance
>Do not spend lavishly on building programs
>Approach religious controversies with care

Justinian is overrated and Anastasius is underrated

>>2937899
Italy was the part that wasn't worth it. Africa was a great return on investment given the ease at which it was recaptured. Sicily and Sardinia were the only part of Italy worth taking, the rest of it was constantly invaded and near impossible to defend without securing Occitania and Noricum. Italy was always a pointless distraction later on, draining the empire of manpower and money.

>>2937854
A Short History of Byzantium, John Norwich. If on the off chance you're in Australia pick up Ghost Empire for a quick and easy introduction, that's where I started.

Also listen to the History of Byzantium podcast (that's still under construction).

>>2937967
Norwich is dan carlin level, do not take him seriously.

>>2937973
He is? Damn. What would you recommend? I still pretty newfag when it comes to Byzantium.

>>2937837
Blind and castrate Procopius

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13KB, 205x293px

>>2937994
There is nothing wrong with people who have no formal education writing about stuff, its pop-history, its okay, like Lost to the West, another pop history byzantine book.

Problem with Norwich is that many people think he is a scholar, he is not. Just a trust fund baby with an interest in Byzantine empire, he doesn't even have a history degree iirc, let alone being a byzantinist.

I would reccomend anywork of anyone who is actually a scholar. Timothy Gregory A history of Byzantium is a good place to start. Further reading parts are nice and its sprinkled with brief excerpts from primary source. Has a college textbook style and it is used to teach introduction to Byzantium courses.

You can pirate first ed (2005) or buy used ones on net for 20 bucks (2010). It is fairly recent so there is not much outdated info, it is also designed for newbies so I highly recommend it over Norwichs work

From there you can just read anything you fancy, Mango, Kaldellis etc again it has a nice further reading list

>>2937967
Africa took a ton of resources to capture and decades to secure. Controlling Rome and the Pope could have been essential for the Empire. It wasn't but it could have been.

>>2937994
Well, he's a journalist, not a historian. I'm not aware of any complete and thorough history of Byzantium book. I've read Vasiliev's books; they are good but almost a century old and just two small volumes.

>>2937952
>>Research more on the conditions of Italy Spain and Carthage, do not solely rely on the report of pro roman merchants etc who are minority.

Information isn't this easily available and pro-roman merchants were probably the most reliable and easily accessible sources.

>Do not spend lavishly on building programs

I don't buy this either. Good medieval rulers spend on building programs, whether they are Roman, Arab or Frankish.

>>2938015
>buy used ones on net for 20 bucks (2010).
*which are second edition published in 2010