The present work was originally conceived as a general and introductory account of aspects of seventh-century East Roman (Byzantine) state, society and culture. In the event, a simple survey of sources and literature and the presentation of a general synthesis proved less and less worth-while, or indeed desirable. It became necessary in many places to go into considerably greater detail than planned.

Many technical matters of state and social organisation remained both unclear and insufficiently researched; many questions of crucial importance for the history of social and cultural development in the Byzantine world of that period remained unasked. This book is, consequently, an attempt to provide a coherent general overview by means of the analysis of a series of specific themes and the corresponding problems which accompany them. Inevitably, the themes I have discussed represent a selective choice – I have concentrated on those aspects which I felt to be most in need of attention, most amenable to some form of constructive solution and most relevant to our understanding of how East Roman cultural, social and state forms functioned and evolved as a dynamic whole throughout the seventh century.

In writing this book, I have enjoyed the help and advice, both direct and indirect, of many friends and colleagues. I would like in particular to thank Wolfram Brandes, Marie-Theres Fögen, Rodney Hilton, Alexander Kazdan, Ralph Lilie, Greg McLennan, Spiros Troianos, Chris Wickham and Friedhelm Winkelmann, all of whom – at various times and in various places over the last few years – have, not always knowingly, contributed in one way or another to the formation of my views.