The volume presents the Byzantine idea as interpreted and expressed by two leading thinkers in the historical and philosophical thought of Russia during the second half of the 19th century. Here, two highly relevant essays are combined: "Byzantinism and the Slavs" (1875) by Konstantin Leontiev and "Byzantinism and Russia" (1896) by Vladimir Solovyov.

These authors are not the most typical but undoubtedly remain the most interesting representatives of the Slavophiles and Westernizers, respectively. They represent the two main intellectual currents of that period, which coexisted in uninterrupted unity but also in conflict with each other.

For, as Alexander Herzen said, while they may have looked – like Janus or the Double-Headed Eagle – in opposite directions, they all had one heart that beat. The confrontation between Slavophile and Westernizer intellectuals defines, at least aesthetically and emotionally, the entire cultural and political trajectory of Russia up to our present day.

Byzantium, loved or hated, played a decisive role in shaping Russia, from its birth to the moment it transformed into an imperial superpower, a crucial geopolitical factor.