This is the latest in a long line of short histories of the Byzantine Empire. It caters to a conviction that one reason why Byzantine history is not more popular in universities than it is lies in its inaccessibility. That is not a charge that can be brought against this book. It is clearly intended as a basic introduction to Byzantine studies. The needs of students are paramount. Everything is carefully explained and signposted. Each chapter is divided into a brisk narrative, which never flags, followed by a consideration of the main trends of Byzantine culture and society based on the latest scholarship. Byzantium functions much like any other medieval society. Its main distinction lies in a deeply held belief that Byzantium was not a continuation of the Roman Empire, but the Roman Empire itself. That said, there is surprisingly little about Roman law, which remained the basis of the Byzantine legal system. The book undoubtedly provides an efficient and reliable introduction to Byzantine history, but this also means that it is safe and predictable. It hardly prepares us for the last chapter, ‘Aftermath and afterlife’, which is a masterly treatment not only of the fate of Byzantium after 1453; not only of the development of Byzantine studies, but also of how Byzantium is viewed in the contemporary world. It is neither safe nor predictable and is exactly what short histories are for.