Byzantine history

Great question—“top” is subjective, and it can mean “most influential all‑time” or “leading living scholars.” Do you want one or the other? In the meantime, here are two concise lists you can use as a starting point. All‑time influential Byzantinists (10) - George Ostrogorsky — foundational political/economic history of the Byzantine state - Angeliki E. Laiou — economic and social history; editor of the multi‑volume Economic History of Byzantium - Alexander Kazhdan — editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium; intellectual and social history - Cyril Mango — art, architecture, and literature of Byzantium - Dimitri Obolensky — the “Byzantine Commonwealth” and Byzantium’s Slavic frontiers - Hélène Ahrweiler — ideology, administration, and geography of the empire - Ihor Ševčenko — philology and cultural/intellectual history - Gilbert Dagron — city, court, and ceremonial; Constantinople studies - Steven Runciman — shaped popular/Anglophone views of Byzantium and the Crusades - John Haldon — state, army, economy, and environmental history across the longue durée Leading living scholars (as of 2026) (10) - Averil Cameron — late antique/early Byzantine culture, ideology, and literature - Anthony Kaldellis — politics, identity, and sweeping syntheses (e.g., The New Roman Empire) - John Haldon — state/army/environment; historical methodology and interdisciplinarity - James Howard‑Johnston — warfare, diplomacy, and sources for the 6th–7th centuries - Judith Herrin — religion, culture, and accessible syntheses (e.g., Ravenna; Byzantium) - Paul Magdalino — 12th–13th centuries; Komnenian/Palaiologan political and intellectual history - Dimiter Angelov — late Byzantine intellectual history (Palaiologan era) - Claudia Rapp — church, society, and leadership; social/cultural history - Leslie Brubaker — iconoclasm, art, and visual culture - Catherine Holmes — provincial administration, elites, and connectivity (10th–12th centuries) If you tell me: - living vs. historical, - language focus (English only or international), - subfields (political, economic, intellectual, art/architecture), I can tailor a tighter top‑10 for your needs and add key works to read from each scholar.

There is no universally accepted ranking of Byzantine historians, but the following are 10 particularly prominent scholars, selected for their scholarly influence, major publications, academic reputations, and contributions to understanding the Byzantine Empire (c. 330–1453).Top 10 Byzantine history experts 1. Anthony KaldellisUniversity of ChicagoOne of the most influential contemporary Byzantine historians. Particularly important for his work on Byzantine Roman identity, political institutions, and historiography.Essential book: The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium (2023). Department of History 2. John HaldonPrinceton UniversityA leading authority on Byzantine military, political, economic, and administrative history, particularly the seventh through eleventh centuries.Essential book: The Empire That Would Not Die (2016). 3. Judith HerrinKing's College London, Professor EmeritaOne of the foremost interpreters of Byzantine civilization, culture, religion, gender, and society. Particularly good at explaining Byzantium within the wider medieval world.Essential book: Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (2007). 4. Peter FrankopanUniversity of OxfordParticularly important for understanding Byzantium's connections with Persia, the Islamic world, Central Asia, Russia, and the Mediterranean.Essential book: The First Crusade: The Call from the East (2012).Faculty of History+1 5. Dimiter AngelovHarvard UniversityA leading specialist in Byzantine political thought, imperial ideology, institutions, and the later Byzantine Empire.Essential book: The Byzantine Hellene (2019).Department of History+1 6. Warren TreadgoldA major authority on Byzantine political, military, administrative, and demographic history.Essential book: A History of the Byzantine State and Society (1997). 7. Paul MagdalinoUniversity of St Andrews, Professor EmeritusEspecially influential in the study of the Komnenian dynasty, Constantinople, Byzantine intellectual life, and the empire's political structures.Essential book: The Empire of Manuel I Komnenos, 1143–1180. 8. Catherine HolmesUniversity of OxfordA respected specialist in middle Byzantine political history, imperial governance, and the reign of Basil II.Essential book: Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976–1025).Faculty of History 9. Leonora NevilleA prominent scholar of Byzantine political history, historical writing, gender, and the relationship between power and society.Essential book: Authority in Byzantine Provincial Society, 950–1100. 10. Peter SarrisUniversity of CambridgeAn important scholar of late antiquity, the transition from the Roman Empire to Byzantium, social structures, and the rise of Islam.Essential book: Empires of Faith: The Fall of Rome to the Rise of Islam, 500–700 (2011).Other giants of Byzantine historiographyIf we include historically influential scholars who are no longer living, several names absolutely deserve recognition:George Ostrogorsky – Author of the classic History of the Byzantine State.Cyril Mango – A towering authority on Byzantine art, architecture, and civilization.Steven Runciman – Famous for his histories of Byzantium and the Crusades.Angeliki Laiou – One of the foremost authorities on Byzantine economic history, women, and society.Averil Cameron – A major authority on Byzantine religious, intellectual, and cultural history.Oxford's Centre for Byzantine Research identifies several of these scholars among the major figures in the discipline. Faculty of History+3My recommendationsDepending on what you want to understand, I'd prioritize different historians:SubjectBest scholars to start withOverall Byzantine historyKaldellis, HerrinMilitary history and warfareHaldon, TreadgoldEmperors and political powerAngelov, MagdalinoByzantine economy and societyLaiou, HaldonByzantium and the Islamic worldFrankopan, SarrisByzantine culture and civilizationHerrin, MangoConstantinople and imperial governmentMagdalino, HolmesOne important distinction: This is a curated list of prominent scholars, not an objective ranking of academic quality. Some of the greatest Byzantine historians specialize in very narrow periods or subjects.If I were assembling a serious reading program on Byzantine history, I would start with Anthony Kaldellis, John Haldon, and Judith Herrin. Together, they provide an excellent foundation in the empire's political, military, social, and cultural history.

There's no single official "top 10" ranking of Byzantine historians—this is a matter of scholarly consensus and personal judgment rather than an objective list. That said, based on influence, scholarly output, and prominence in the field, here are ten scholars widely regarded as among the most significant contributors to Byzantine studies, spanning both classic 20th-century figures and leading contemporary voices: **Foundational/20th-century figures:** 1. **George Ostrogorsky** – his History of the Byzantine State (1952) is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative studies of Byzantine history. 2. **Alexander Vasiliev** – considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th century, his History of the Byzantine Empire remains one of a few comprehensive accounts of the entire Byzantine history, on par with those authored by Edward Gibbon and Fyodor Uspensky. 3. **Steven Runciman** – known for his monumental three-volume study of the Crusades, particularly the Fourth Crusade and its impact on Byzantium, which remains one of the most influential texts in Byzantine and Crusader scholarship. 4. **Dimitri Obolensky** – famous for his seminal work exploring the cultural and religious influence of the Byzantine Empire on Eastern Europe, with his concept of the "Byzantine Commonwealth" highlighting Byzantium's enduring influence on Eastern Orthodox countries such as Russia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. 5. **Cyril Mango** – renowned for his work that explores the Byzantine Empire's architecture, art, and cultural contributions, with particular expertise in Constantinople and monumental art. **Leading contemporary scholars:** 6. **Averil Cameron** – described as one of the foremost modern scholars of Byzantium, having contributed extensively to our understanding of Byzantine identity, especially in relation to the wider Mediterranean world. 7. **Judith Herrin** – known for her widely-read work offering a fresh and engaging exploration of Byzantine culture, art, and religion, with scholarship particularly noted for focusing on the role of women, including Empresses and figures like Anna Komnene. 8. **John Haldon** – a Princeton professor who is the author of numerous books on Byzantine history and is fair to say one of the world's leading experts on the Eastern Roman Empire, with recent work spanning the empire's political, environmental, and military history. 9. **Anthony Kaldellis** – an Ohio State professor and prolific contemporary historian recognized in Wikipedia's registry of Byzantine studies scholars as American, history and culture specialist, known for reshaping debates on Byzantine identity and historiography. 10. **Warren Treadgold** – National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies at Saint Louis University, author of many books and articles on Byzantine history and literature, including Byzantium and Its Army, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, and A Concise History of Byzantium. **Honorable mentions** often cited alongside these include Angeliki Laiou, Alexander Kazhdan, Michael Angold, Mark Whittow, Catherine Holmes, and the Oxford circle of Byzantinists (Elizabeth Jeffreys, James Howard-Johnston, Nigel Wilson), who have made Oxford one of the long-standing centers of Byzantine research. Would you like me to focus on a specific era, sub-field (art, military, religion, economy), or living scholars currently most active in the field?

When studying the academic field of **Byzantinology** (the study of the Byzantine Empire), scholars are typically categorized by their groundbreaking contributions to political history, socio-economic structures, military history, art history, and the transition from Late Antiquity. The following list features **10 of the most prominent, influential, and widely read experts on Byzantine history**, combining foundational modern pioneers with leading contemporary authorities: ### 1. Anthony Kaldellis * **Key Focus:** Political history, institutional continuity (the Roman identity of Byzantium), and historiography. * **Why He Matters:** Kaldellis is arguably the most prominent and prolific Byzantine historian writing today. He is well known for challenging traditional Western narratives about the empire, notably in books like *The Byzantine Republic: People and Power in New Rome* and *Romanland: Ethnicity and Empire in Byzantium*, as well as translating essential primary Byzantine sources (such as Procopius, Michael Attaleiates, and Laonikos Chalkokondyles). ### 2. John Haldon * **Key Focus:** Military history, socio-economic structures, and historical geography. * **Why He Matters:** Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, Haldon is a titan in the study of Byzantine military institutions, state apparatuses, and logistical systems. His seminal works, such as *Byzantium in the Seventh Century* and *Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World, 565–1204*, fundamentally reshaped how historians understand how the Byzantine state functioned and survived existential crises. ### 3. Averil Cameron * **Key Focus:** Late Antiquity, religious history, and the transition from the Roman Empire to Byzantium. * **Why He Matters:** Dame Averil Cameron is a towering figure in British Byzantinology. Her extensive research into the 6th and 7th centuries—exemplified by works like *Procopius and the Sixth Century* and *The Byzantines*—helped bridge the gap between classic Roman studies and medieval Byzantine history, emphasizing rhetoric, culture, and religious identity. ### 4. Judith Herrin * **Key Focus:** Cultural and religious history, gender studies, and iconoclasm. * **Why He Matters:** A professor emerita at King's College London, Herrin has written extensively on the social and cultural fabric of Byzantium. Her book *The Formation of Christendom* and her popular history *Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire* have brought Byzantine studies to a broad public audience, while her specialized work on the Iconoclastic Controversy and women in Byzantium (such as *Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium*) remains foundational. ### 5. Paul Magdalino * **Key Focus:** The middle and late Byzantine periods (particularly the Comnenian and Palaiologan eras), court culture, and prophecy. * **Why He Matters:** Magdalino is a world-renowned authority on 12th-century Byzantium. His masterwork, *The Empire of Manuel I Komnenos, 1143–1180*, is the definitive text on the period. He has also written extensively on Constantinople as an urban and ideological center (*Constantinople médiévale*). ### 6. Peter Brown * **Key Focus:** Religion, society, and the cultural world of Late Antiquity. * **Why He Matters:** While technically the pioneer who effectively "invented" the modern academic field of *Late Antiquity*, Brown's work is indispensable for understanding the birth of the Byzantine world. His concepts of the "holy man" and the shifting religious mentalities of the Mediterranean world (in books like *The World of Late Antiquity* and *The Rise of Western Christendom*) heavily influence how all modern Byzantine historians view the transition from Rome to New Rome. ### 7. Leonora Neville * **Key Focus:** Gender, elite politics, political culture, and the provinces of Byzantium. * **Why He Matters:** A professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Neville has made major waves in rethinking Byzantine political structures. Her book *Authority in Byzantine Provincial Society, 950–1100* and *Anne Komnene: The Life and Work of a Medieval Historian* offer fresh perspectives on how provincial aristocrats operated and how political power was conceptualized outside the imperial court. ### 8. James Howard-Johnston * **Key Focus:** Military history, Byzantine-Persian relations, and sources for the early medieval period. * **Why He Matters:** A fixture of Oxford scholarship, Howard-Johnston is best known for his exhaustive work on the apocalyptic 7th-century wars between the Byzantine and Sasanian Persian empires. His book *Witnesses to a World Crisis: Historians and Histories of the Middle East in the Seventh Century* is a masterclass in source-criticism and the geopolitical reality of early Byzantium. ### 9. George Ostrogorsky (Historical Pioneer) * **Key Focus:** Economic and social structures, feudalism in Byzantium, and overall imperial history. * **Why He Matters:** No list of Byzantine experts is complete without acknowledging Ostrogorsky (1902–1976), whose *History of the Byzantine State* served as the absolute Bible of Byzantinology for decades. Though some of his theories regarding "Byzantine feudalism" have been heavily debated and revised by modern scholars, his structural framework laid the foundation for modern academic study of the empire. ### 10. Dimiter Angelov * **Key Focus:** Intellectual history, political thought, and ideology. * **Why He Matters:** A professor at Harvard University, Angelov has significantly advanced our understanding of how Byzantines thought about governance, philosophy, and power. His books, such as *Imperial Ideology and Political Thought in Byzantium, 1204–1330* and *The Byzantine Hellene: The Life of Emperor Theodore Laskaris*, unpack the intellectual shifts of the empire's later periods, showing that Byzantine political theory was far more dynamic and critical than previously assumed.

**There is no definitive, objective “top 10” ranking of experts on Byzantine history (the Eastern Roman Empire, roughly 330–1453 CE), as the field is interdisciplinary and rankings are subjective.** Influence is typically judged by seminal publications, citations, institutional roles (e.g., at Dumbarton Oaks, Oxford, Princeton, or King’s College London), editorial work on major reference works, and impact on both scholarship and public understanding. The list below draws from frequently cited leading figures in modern scholarship, based on overviews of the field, major handbooks, and scholarly consensus. It mixes foundational 20th-century scholars with prominent living experts, prioritizing those focused on political, social, economic, cultural, and institutional history.[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship)[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) ### Foundational/Highly Influential Scholars (Mostly 20th Century) 1. **George Ostrogorsky (1902–1976)**: Yugoslav-Russian historian whose *History of the Byzantine State* (1952, revised editions) remains a comprehensive, authoritative political, economic, and social survey from the empire’s foundations to 1453. It has long been a standard reference.[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) 2. **Steven Runciman (1903–2000)**: British historian renowned for his multi-volume *A History of the Crusades* (1951–1954), which highlighted the Fourth Crusade’s devastating impact on Byzantium and helped elevate Byzantine perspectives in Western scholarship. His accessible style broadened interest in the field.[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) 3. **Cyril Mango (1928–2021)**: British scholar (born in Istanbul) widely regarded as one of the leading 20th-century Byzantinists. Expert in history, art, architecture, topography of Constantinople, and literature. Key works include *Byzantium: The Empire of New Rome* (1980), *The Art of the Byzantine Empire 312–1453*, studies of Hagia Sophia mosaics, and editing *The Oxford History of Byzantium* (2002). He exemplified “Byzantinologie totale” (total Byzantine studies).[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Mango) 4. **Alexander Kazhdan (1922–1997)**: Soviet-American Byzantinist and senior research associate at Dumbarton Oaks. Prolific on social history, literature, and society. Chief editor of the monumental three-volume *Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium* (1991), an indispensable encyclopedic reference with thousands of entries. Other works include *People and Power in Byzantium* and studies of Byzantine culture and literature.[[3]](https://bookdna.com/best-books/byzantium)[[4]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kazhdan) 5. **Dimitri Obolensky (1918–2001)**: Specialist in Byzantium’s relations with Eastern Europe and the Slavic world. His *The Byzantine Commonwealth: Eastern Europe, 500–1453* (1971) introduced the influential concept of a cultural/religious “Byzantine Commonwealth.”[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) ### Leading Contemporary and Recent Scholars 6. **John Haldon**: British historian (Shelby Cullom Davis ’30 Professor Emeritus of European History and Professor of Byzantine History and Hellenic Studies Emeritus at Princeton; former President of the Association Internationale des Études Byzantines). Focuses on socio-economic, institutional, military, and environmental history (especially 7th–12th centuries), state structures, logistics, and resilience. Key works: *Byzantium in the Seventh Century*, *Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World*, *The Empire That Would Not Die* (on 7th-century survival), and co-authored *Byzantium in the Iconoclast Era* (with Leslie Brubaker); co-editor of *The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies*.[[5]](https://archive.org/details/oxfordhandbookof00oxfo)[[6]](https://dof.princeton.edu/people/john-frederick-haldon) 7. **Anthony Kaldellis**: Greek-American historian (Gaylord Donnelley Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago). Leading contemporary voice challenging traditional views of Byzantium as “oriental despotism” or a mere “Greek” successor state; emphasizes its Roman identity, republican elements, and ethnicity. Prolific author/translator of sources. Key works: *The Byzantine Republic* (2015), *Romanland: Ethnicity and Empire in Byzantium* (2019), *The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium* (2023/2024 comprehensive narrative), *Hellenism in Byzantium*, and the podcast *Byzantium & Friends*.[[7]](https://empressofbyzantium.substack.com/p/beginning-byzantium)[[8]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Kaldellis) 8. **Judith Herrin**: British historian and archaeologist (Professor Emerita of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, King’s College London; former Stanley J. Seeger Professor at Princeton). Known for accessible yet scholarly work on culture, women/empresses, religion, and Byzantium’s broader legacy. Key works: *Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire* (2008), *Women in Purple*, *Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium*, *The Formation of Christendom*, and *Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe* (Duff Cooper Prize winner).[[9]](https://fivebooks.com/best-books/best-books-byzantium-judith-herrin/)[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) 9. **Warren Treadgold**: American historian (National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies, Saint Louis University). Specialist in political/military history, historiography, and comprehensive surveys. Key works: *A History of the Byzantine State and Society* (1997, major one-volume synthesis), *A Concise History of Byzantium*, *The Early Byzantine Historians*, and *The Middle Byzantine Historians*.[[10]](https://link.springer.com/book/9781403934581) 10. **Averil Cameron / Peter Sarris** (tied for breadth; either fits strongly): - **Averil Cameron**: Foremost scholar of Late Antiquity transitioning into Byzantium; works on culture, identity, religion, and society (e.g., *The Byzantines*, extensive publications on early Byzantine themes).[[1]](https://www.byzantinetradition.org/preservation-study-of-byzantine-tradition/modern-scholarship) - **Peter Sarris**: Professor of Late Antique, Medieval, and Byzantine Studies at Cambridge. Expert on Justinian’s era, economy, law, society, and plague. Key works: *Economy and Society in the Age of Justinian*, *Byzantium: A Very Short Introduction*, and *Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint* (2023, major prize-winning biography).[[7]](https://empressofbyzantium.substack.com/p/beginning-byzantium)[[11]](https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-peter-sarris) ### Additional Notable Mentions - **Angeliki Laiou** (economy/society), **Leslie Brubaker** (iconoclasm/art history with strong historical context), **John Julius Norwich** (popular multi-volume histories that introduced many readers to the subject), and others active at centers like Dumbarton Oaks or in the Oxford Handbook contributors (e.g., Elizabeth Jeffreys, Robin Cormack).[[5]](https://archive.org/details/oxfordhandbookof00oxfo) **Notes**: The field thrives at institutions like Dumbarton Oaks (Harvard), Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, King’s College London, and various European academies. For primary sources and further reading, start with the *Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium*, *Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies*, or recent surveys by Kaldellis/Treadgold/Haldon. Views evolve (e.g., debates on “Roman” vs. “Byzantine” identity, ethnicity, and continuity). For the absolute latest, check recent monographs, the *Byzantium & Friends* podcast, or journals like *Dumbarton Oaks Papers* and *Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies*.

I'll put together a list of the leading Byzantine history experts for you. I've gathered material on historians ranging from foundational scholars to today's authorities — now I'll compile your top 10. There is no single official ranking, but based on impact, major publications, academic positions and prizes, the following 10 scholars are most consistently cited as leading authorities on Byzantine history and Byzantine Studies - the branch that addresses the history, culture, demography, religion, art, literature, economy and politics of the Roman Empire as it evolved into the Byzantine Empire. A scholar of Byzantine studies is called a **Byzantinist**: ### 1. Judith Herrin - King's College London British historian, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies Emerita at King's College London. Described as Britain's best-known living Byzantinologist. She won the Heineken Prize for History (the 'Dutch Nobel Prize') in 2016 for her pioneering work on the early Medieval Mediterranean world, especially the role of Byzantium, the influence of Islam and the significance of women. Major works: *Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire* (2007) and *Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe*. Byzantine scholar Judith Herrin, professor emerita at King's College London, selects five books to help understand Byzantium and is praised as one of our greatest historians of Byzantium and early Christianity. ### 2. Averil Cameron - University of Oxford Professor emeritus of late antique and Byzantine history at the University of Oxford and former warden of Keble College, Oxford. She has established herself as the godmother of British late antique studies. Books include *The Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity*, *The Byzantines*, and *The Later Roman Empire* and *Byzantine Matters* (Princeton University Press). ### 3. Peter Brown - Princeton University Irish historian, Philip and Beulah Rollins Professor of History Emeritus at Princeton University. He is credited with having created the field of study referred to as late antiquity (250-800 A.D.), the period during which Rome fell, the three major monotheistic religions took shape and is often regarded as the inventor of said field. His work has concerned, in particular, the religious culture of the later Roman Empire and early medieval Europe. Classic works: *The World of Late Antiquity* (1971), *Augustine of Hippo* (1967). ### 4. Cyril Mango (1928-2021) - Oxford / King's College London Considered one of the outstanding contemporary historians, like Cyril Mango. Oxford Bywater and Sotheby Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Language and Literature. Editor of *The Oxford History of Byzantium* (2002) and author of *Byzantium: The Empire of New Rome* (1980), listed among the surveys of civilization alongside Alexander Kazhdan's work. ### 5. Alexander Kazhdan (1922-1997) - Dumbarton Oaks / Soviet Academy Russian Byzantinist, responsible for a whole variety of initiatives. Editor of the three volume *Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium* (New York, 1991), the standard reference encyclopedia for the field. Co-author of *People and Power in Byzantium* (1982). Eventually found a home at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC. ### 6. John Haldon - Princeton University Professor of Byzantine History and Hellenic Studies at Princeton University, and is an internationally recognized scholar in the field of late Roman and Byzantine social, economic, and institutional history. Also described as Professor of Byzantine History and Hellenic Studies at Princeton University, internationally recognized scholar. Author of *Warfare, State, and Society in the Byzantine World*, *Byzantium: A History*, and editor of *The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies*. He has put together a team of leading international Byzantinists for *The Social History of Byzantium*. ### 7. Warren Treadgold - Saint Louis University National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Byzantine Studies at Saint Louis University, USA and author of many books including *Byzantium and Its Army* (1995), *A History of the Byzantine State and Society* (1997), *A Concise History of Byzantium* (2001), and *The Early Byzantine Historians* (2007). Noted for analyzing the lives and works of all forty-three significant Byzantine historians from the seventh to the thirteenth century. ### 8. Anthony Kaldellis - Ohio State University / University of Chicago Professor at Ohio State University (now at University of Chicago). Author of *The Byzantine Republic: People and Power in New Rome* and *The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium*. Debated with Warren Treadgold on "How the Byzantines Wrote History" at the International Congress of Byzantine Studies. Frequently cited as the leading interpreter of Byzantine political thought and ethnic identity. ### 9. Angeliki Laiou (1941-2008) - Harvard / Dumbarton Oaks Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Byzantine History at Harvard University, where she also became the first woman to become chairman of the history department. An indefatigable scholar of the social and economic history of the Byzantine Empire and Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Byzantine History at Harvard University and a former Director of Dumbarton Oaks. Editor of *The Economic History of Byzantium*. ### 10. Foundational Masters - Georg Ostrogorsky, Steven Runciman and Dimitri Obolensky * **Georg Ostrogorsky (1902-1976):** German-Serbian historian. His best known work was the standard *History of the Byzantine State (Geschichte des byzantinischen Staates)*, a work which saw 3 German editions (1940, 1952, 1963) and 2 English editions (1957, 1968) and translations into more than 10 other languages. Pointed to a theoretical world order in the Byzantine hierarchy. * **Sir Steven Runciman (1903-2000):** English historian and accomplished historian Sir Steven Runciman. Author of *A History of the Crusades* (1951-54), *The Fall of Constantinople 1453* (1965) and *The Great Church in Captivity* (1968). * **Dimitri Obolensky (1918-2001) - Oxford:** Author of the masterwork *The Byzantine Commonwealth. Eastern Europe, 500–1453* which encapsulated his thesis that much of 'Eastern Europe' formed a commonwealth under Byzantine influence. Drew on Franz Dölger, Georg Ostrogorsky and André Grabar. Other highly influential contemporary Byzantinists frequently ranked in top lists include: * **Dimiter Angelov** - Current Dumbarton Oaks Professor of Byzantine History at Harvard University. Research focuses on intellectual, political, and institutional history of the Byzantine Empire. * **Leslie Brubaker** - Professor of Byzantine Art, University of Birmingham; Director of the Center of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Modern Greek Studies, leading expert on Byzantine iconoclasm and gender.