Overview

The seventh century was a period of radical transformation in the Balkans in terms of political, social, and economic history. The decline in Byzantine power led to the collapse of ancient urban civilization, the arrival of new populations from eastern Europe and the steppes, and, subsequently, the establishment of new political structures and modes of economic relations. Given that the written sources provide relatively little information about these events, archaeology is required to fill in the gaps and improve our knowledge and understanding of the socio-cultural and ethnic transitions that took place. New developments in archaeology in the Balkans have brought an enormous amount of information to light. The book’s eight contributors present research from different parts of the region, offering valuable new insights into the history, culture, and economy of the early medieval Balkans.

Full Product Details

Author:   Panos Sophoulis (University of Athens) ,  Georgios Kardaras (National Hellenic Research Foundation)
Publisher:   Arc Humanities Press
Imprint:   Arc Humanities Press
Edition:   New edition
ISBN:  

9781802702484

ISBN 10:   1802702482
Pages:   212
Publication Date:   31 October 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction by Panos Sophoulis and Georgios Kardaras Chapter 1. ""Old Habits Die Hard: The Historiography of the Seventh Century in the Balkans"" by Florin Curta Chapter 2. ""The Croat Migration Metanarrative in Croatian Historiography: Between Old and New Approaches"" by Hrvoje Gračanin Chapter 3. ""The Barbarian Settlements in Northern Illyricum before the Slavic Migration"" by Perica Špehar Chapter 4. ""The Danubian limes and the Settlement of the Slavs in the Balkans"" by Georgios Kardaras Chapter 5. ""The Seventh Century in the Deep Hinterland of the Eastern Adriatic: What Do We Know and What Do We Think We Know?"" by Danijel Džino Chapter 6. ""The Beginnings of the Nomadic and Slavic Finds in Early Medieval Bulgaria"" by Galina Grozdanova Chapter 7. ""The Older Populations of the Lower Danube Region (Slavs, 'Thracians,' Greeks) in the Seventh and Eighth Centuries: Survival and Incorporation into the New State Structures"" by Panos Sophoulis Chapter 8. ""Reconsideration of the 'Slavic' Material Culture in the Greek Peninsula During the Early Middle Ages"" by Natalia Poulou Index

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Author Information

Panos Sophoulis is a specialist in the history of south-eastern Europe, with a particular interest in the Balkans during the Middle Ages. He is the author of Byzantium and Bulgaria (2011) and Banditry in the Medieval Balkans, 800–1500 (2020). Georgios Kardaras’s research interests focus on the relations between Byzantium and its northern neighbours and the history and culture of the Slavs and the Eurasian nomads. He is author of three monographs including Byzantium and the Avars. Political, Diplomatic and Cultural Relations, 6th-9th c. AD (2018).

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