The best of Byzantium
I loved this program when I first saw it on VHS. I'm so pleased to have it now on DVD. The programs, hosted by John Romer, are fascinating travelogues as well as historical investigations into the once great Byzantine Empire. Romer visits far flung outposts of the empire where tantalising evidence remains of the civilisation that once dominated much of Europe and parts of the near east.

A poignant air of melancholy persists throughout the programs, as Romer finds tantalising bits and pieces of Byzantium that were carried off or reused by her conquerors, both Christian and Muslim.

I've watched this series of programs many times, and always find something new in them.

The Roman Empire survived well into the fourteenth century.
John Romer is the great Egyptologist, historian and archaeologist, who, along with his many books has created and appeared in some of the greatest documentaries ever to grace the small screen ... Byzantium: The Lost Empire is no exception. This masterful work details the greatest Empire of Europe and western Asia in the Middle Ages. The history, as you will learn, starts in 330 C. E. when Emperor Constantine founded a new capital of the Roman Empire near the town of Anatolia next to the Black Sea. This new capitol, Byzantium, was given the Greek name Constantinopolis shortly after Emperor Constantine's death.

After Rome lost its territories in 395, the now Constantinople became the capital of the Roman Empire. The main differences were the use of Greek as the main language and Christianity was now the lead religion. But John Romer will explain how many now acknowledge the Byzantine Empire as a direct continuation of the Roman Empire ... since many of the laws in Constantinople were the same laws in Rome. You'll learn that it wasn't the Arabs or the Irish that first preserved the ancient cultures, but Constantinople. From here, John Romer takes us to the tenth century, were the Byzantium was still a powerful empire with territories in Eastern Europe, Palestine, North Africa, Greece and Anatolia ... extending as far as Italy.

By the time the Byzantium Empire did fall, in the fourteen hundreds to the Ottoman Turks, Constantinople was renamed Istanbul, and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. This is one of John Romer's acclaimed documentaries and you can't help but be drawn into this ancient culture and its greatest empire. If you'd like to know more about this dynasty I'd recommend checking out some of Romer's other work:

Christianity-The First Two Thousand Years

The Dark Ages (The History Channel )

The History of Orthodox Christianity

Quality production
This is a quality documentary production and an entertaining introduction to the forgotten Christian empire. It is one I will watch over and over again. The scenery is wonderful, the filming superb, the commentary enlightening and entertaining. Though a film format cannot capture the depth of material of a book, this is still well worth the investment for the big picture view. Many important characters and events in a thousand year history must be left out and that is disappointing but understandable for a film. The editors and this reviewer would probably find great disagreement on what to leave out but the editing was still commendable.

Begin here but also be sure to read the works of John Norwich such as, A Short History of Byzantium or the three-volume equivalent of that summary. On the more popular side of reading with a flare for the legacy that was left from Byzantium, be sure to read Sailing from Byzantium: How a Lost Empire Shaped the World. For literary style and superb story-telling, every reader will likely enjoy The Fall of Constantinople 1453 (Canto). Professor Runciman also left us a fine work of a more obscure and detailed bit of Byzantine history in Mistra, Byzantine Capital of the Peloponnese. The latter is a little difficult to find but worth the search.

The Byzantine empire is a fascinating, pivotal, and colorful yet virtually forgotten period of western civilization. The works that are available for learning more are sparse but there are many of high quality. This film is one of those high quality additions to any library.

Superb (instant favorite) documentary. Excellence in writing, narative, set, cultural value
First night I received the DVD set I stayed wathing this 208 min long
documentary till 2 AM in the morning.

Presenter, John Romer, is probably the best presenter of the documentaries I have ever seen on TV. His tells the stories of the greatest cultural and historical value in a lyrical, enaging personal style making you wanting to watch the whole documentary all in one viewing.

Being originally from this broader region, and having a foundation in the material itself I still found the tremendous value and the depth in this documentary. Learning was constant, but it never felt forced or dry.

Interestingly, there were no flashy maps, reenactments, big computer generated effects to "keep you interested". Contrary, at one point in the show John Romer pulls out the Rand McNally map of the Istambul, unfolds it and holding it on the ground, with a marker, draws the expected location of the once standing Imperial Palace.

Now, to answer the question that comsumers as well as Amazon equally care about:

Why should one buy this DVD?

You should do so:

- if you are interested in establishing the cultural and civilizational link between the Ancient Greece, Roman Empire and the Western Societies
of the medieval ages.

- understanding the origins of many essential Christian beliefs, rituals, traditions and symbolisms.

- learn essential historical and archeological facts about the Byzantium



With all that in mind I give this documentary an uncontested, shining 5 stars. I am now up to finding more documentaries with John Romer who is my new favorite TV personality.

ROMER!!!!!
John Romer is by far one of the best hosts I ever saw on tv. He keeps you interested throughout. I've seen lots of his shows and owned several of his books. He is also an excellent author. Buy his books Ancient Lives,People of the Nile and Valley of the Kings. Where are his shows ANCIENT LIVES and ROMER'S EGYPT on DVD?????? They are fabulous and impossible to get a hold of.