The title "Imperial Hellenism" consists of two words, one with a political/ideological definition and the other with a cultural/civilizing definition.

By "Imperial," we express the transition from the political organization of the City-State (Cleionon Asty) - as perfected during the classical period - to the universal political ideal of the Empire.

By "Hellenism," we describe the diffusion, expansion, and cultural dominance of the Greeks, which resulted in the linguistic, ethnographic, cultural, and political Hellenization of the then-known world.

As a historical phenomenon, "Imperial Hellenism" has an almost uninterrupted historical continuity of 1784 years, beginning with the founding of Alexandria in the year 331 B.C. and culminating in the fall of Constantinople in the year 1453 A.D.

In this volume, we analyze the Early and Middle Byzantine Period. That is, from the sole rule of Constantine the Great and the founding of Constantinople in the year 324 A.D. until the definitive.