Description
Keeping up appearances: Byzantine perspectives of ‘legality’ and the Italians, Worcester College, OxfordAbstract:
In this paper I will examine questions related to the notion of ‘legality’ in the Byzantine imperial acts directed to Venice, Pisa and Genoa in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries. A twofold distinction of the notion of ‘legality’ will be discussed. Firstly, the emperor’s consistent attempt to establish a form of ‘legality’ concerning his position and his relation to the Italians, i.e. that he is by far superior and they are his subjects. This form of ‘legality’ suits indeed the idea of the Byzantine emperor as ruler of the oikoumene. Secondly, the apparent ‘legality’ that the emperor intends to safeguard in some concrete cases related to the Italians. The latter form of ‘legality’ is related to legal procedures and the idea of a fair and just emperor.
| Period | 28-Sept-2018 |
|---|---|
| Event title | The Byzantine Commonwealth 50 years on: empires and their afterlife |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Oxford , United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |