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Degrees in Byzantine StudiesSection H: Auxiliary Disciplines The technical subjects are a key element in these degrees, optional for the M.St. and obligatory for the M.Phil. They have been introduced so as to bring students into direct contact with the raw materials of research: manuscripts, inscriptions, coins and seals, all of which are available at Oxford. (i) Greek Palaeography Students whose interests are mainly of a literary or philological nature will need to learn how to read Greek manuscripts. This is so because many Byzantine texts still remain unpublished and a considerable proportion of the printed editions are unsatisfactory. Palaeography, of course, is not limited to the ability to read manuscripts: it opens up the whole world of medieval scholarship by revealing which books were copied and studied — when, where and by whom; which were used as school textbooks; how script developed and what materials (papyrus, parchment, paper) it was applied to. The presence at Oxford of an extensive collection of Byzantine manuscripts offers a particular incentive to the study of palaeography. (ii) Byzantine Epigraphy Byzantine epigraphy is still largely uncharted territory. The Byzantines did not use inscriptions as extensively as did the ancient Greeks, but they continued to inscribe messages on stone and metal and to paint them on walls. Familiarity with epigraphic material and the ability to read and date it is necessary for historians, archaeologists and art historians. Primary material for the study of Byzantine epigraphy, in the form of inscriptions on stone, metal and other objects, and icons, is available in the Ashmolean Museum. (iii) Byzantine Numismatics Throughout its history the Byzantine Empire maintained a monetary economy based on gold. Indeed, its gold coin (called the solidus, nomisma or bezant), which circulated both within and outside the Empire, has been called the dollar of the Middle Ages. The study of Byzantine coinage forms a necessary introduction to the understanding of the Byzantine economy. It shows how coins were used, where they were struck and in what quantities; how long the purity of the gold standard was maintained and when it was debased. Byzantine specialists need to know the economic implications of coinage, but they should also know the coins themselves, be able to identify them and be aware of the ideological messages they convey. The excellent collection of late Roman and Byzantine coins in the Heberden Coin Room provides a basis for study. (iv) Byzantine Sigillography Sigillography is the study of seals. In addition to gold seals that were attached to imperial charters, the Byzantines used lead seals, of which some 70,000 have been preserved. These were affixed to letters, documents and bags of merchandise and reflect the entire structure of the imperial administration and ecclesiastical hierarchy. By their informative legends they are also essential for the study of prosopography, i.e. of prominent individuals and families. The Ashmolean Museum has a small, but representative collection of Byzantine seals, sufficient to enable students to gain a first hand acquaintance with them. Return to view the Options for MSt and MPhil
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