Social Transformation in the 6th–9th c. East

Abstract

This paper summarises some archaeological and documentary evidence for the changes seen in the East Roman empire between the 6th and the 9th c., and suggests how this evidence may be placed within a broader theoretical framework relating to pre-modern social systems. Whilst archaeological evidence for the latter part of the period remains very limited, that for the 6th and 7th c. reveals a marked retreat from urban life towards more defensible sites, and a decline in inter-regional exchange. However, combined with the archaeological data, documentary sources suggest the survival of a society of some complexity, producing sufficient surplus to sustain the military and bureaucratic systems that evolved between the later 7th and 9th c. It is suggested that Byzantine society should not be viewed as a ‘logical’ hierarchical entity reminiscent of modern western administrative structures, but rather as the result of a multiplicity of interacting relationships and social structures.