The Formation of Christendom (Princeton Paperbacks) - Softcover

Herrin, Judith

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691008310 ISBN 13: 9780691008318

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 1989

Synopsis

In a lucid history of what used to be termed "the Dark Ages," Judith Herrin outlines the origins of Europe from the end of late antiquity to the coronation of Charlemagne. She shows that the clash between nascent Islam and stubburn Byzantium was the central contest that allowed "Europe" to develop, and she thereby places the rise of the West in its true Mediterranean context. Her inquiry centers on the notion of "Christendom." Instead of taking medieval beliefs for granted or separating theology from politics, she treats the faith as a material force. In a path-breaking account of the arguments over Christian doctrine, she shows how the northern sphere of the Roman world divided into two distinct and self-conscious imperial units, as the Arabs swept through the southern regions.

One of the most interesting strands of the author's argument concerns religious art and iconoclasm. Her book shows how the impact of Islam's Judaic ban on graven images precipitated both the iconoclast crisis in Constantinople and the West's unique commitment to pictorial narrative, as justified by Pope Gregory the Great.

About this title

About the Author

<b>Judith Herrin</b> is professor emeritus in the Department of Classics at King’s College London. Her books include <i>Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe</i>;<i> Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire</i>; <i>Margins and Metropolis: Authority across the Byzantine Empire</i>; and <i>Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium</i> (all Princeton).

Edition details

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0691008310
• ISBN 13: 9780691008318
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 560