Publisher's Synopsis
A collection of critical analyses of the structure, historical development, and composition of the elite strata of late Roman, Byzantine, and early Islamic societies in the eastern Mediterranean basin. Culture change, economic foundations, political roles and function, social composition, and background and origins of old and new elites are the focus of the contributions by scholars who deal with the fate of the later Roman elite and its successors.
"... the articles collected in this volume ... are without exception of a very high calibre and make a very
useful contribution to our understanding of the elites of this fascinating epoch." (Robert Hoyland)
The four-volume set comprises:
Volume 1: Problems in the Literary Source Material.
Volume 2: Land Use and Settlement Patterns.
Volume 3: States, Resources and Armies.
Volume 4: Elites Old and New
