While it is easy to define the end of the Byzantine period, its beginning is more difficult to pinpoint clearly. There is no major, founding event that can be considered a self-evident starting point for it. Byzantium gradually emerged in the Greek East, at a time when the gasp of the ancient world was felt more heavily and Roman power in the West was faltering.

Without being a detailed historical narrative of the period, this book aims to shed unexpected and creative light on a fascinating period of European history, which served as the threshold and the beginning of a new world.

Fotis Vasiliou is an Assistant Professor of Byzantine History at the Ionian University. At the core of his research interests lies the Byzantine individual and how he was influenced, reacted to, and assimilated political changes, military conflicts, and major ideological, value-based, spiritual, and religious shifts.

Additionally, he deals with issues of portraiture, ideology, social gender, identity and image, as well as social and interpersonal relationships. His articles have been published in collective volumes and prestigious international scientific journals. His monograph "The Shepherd or Tyrant: The Father in Christian Literature of Late Antiquity" was published in 2013 (ed. Armós).