05-11-2010, 03:48 PM
05-18-2010, 11:02 AM
Good review. Luttwak's Grand Strategy of the Byzantine empire was a good book. I found it superior to Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire which I also thought was good, although I acknowledge it is not without controversy. The excellent part of Luttwak's book is the review of the various byzantine military treatises. What was lacking was a chronological structure to the book. For that Treadgold's work is far more comprehensive.
From my way of thinking, the Byzantines are a very valuable case study in how to keep a complex society going in the face of systemic crisis. Unfortunately, while Luttwak does discuss some of the reasons the East lasted and the West did not in the 5th century he doesn't really canvass how the Byzantines managed to last in the 7th century 'byzantine dark ages' despite losing most of their territory and income.
As we enter a world of peak oil, debt crisis, economic collapse, the breakdown of the nation-state system and the rise of religious fundamentalisms of all persuasions, Luttwak is right we have a lot to learn from the Byzantines and we could do worse than to follow their lead.
From my way of thinking, the Byzantines are a very valuable case study in how to keep a complex society going in the face of systemic crisis. Unfortunately, while Luttwak does discuss some of the reasons the East lasted and the West did not in the 5th century he doesn't really canvass how the Byzantines managed to last in the 7th century 'byzantine dark ages' despite losing most of their territory and income.
As we enter a world of peak oil, debt crisis, economic collapse, the breakdown of the nation-state system and the rise of religious fundamentalisms of all persuasions, Luttwak is right we have a lot to learn from the Byzantines and we could do worse than to follow their lead.
05-19-2010, 02:57 PM
Hmm... To buy or not to buy.. My birthday is on June 28th. :mrgreen:
05-19-2010, 05:13 PM
Quote:Hmm... To buy or not to buy.. My birthday is on June 28th. :mrgreen:You can borrow my copy. :wink: