The Impact of Byzantium

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The 18th Runciman Lecture was delivered on February 5, at King’s College London by distinguished Professor Judith Herrin, whose latest book “Byzantium: the Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire” has been recently translated into Greek. Under the title “We are all children of Byzantium”, Professor Herrin traced, during her lecture, some of the less obvious ways in which Byzantium continues to have an impact on world civilization today.  Noting that thanks to the efforts of a multitude of scholars -as well as events such as the ongoing exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts “Byzantium 330-1453“- many of the negative stereotypes traditionally associated with Byzantium are being countered by substantive demonstrations of what the empire achieved in its millennial history, she drew attention to the “larger family” of “real, symbolic and imagined children of Byzantium” that enriches our perception of the great civilization. Kathimerini daily (7/2/09): “We are all the children of Byzantium” (abridged version of Professor Herrin’s lecture) 

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