Institute of Historical Research, Department of Byzantine Research

The Department of Byzantine Research (originally the Centre for Byzantine Research) was established in 1960 for the purpose of promoting the study of Byzantine history and civilization. The Department's research activities are organised in programmes which cover a wide range of research fields and expertise. Individual and collective studies are based on written sources, literary and archival, works of art and archaeological findings. The programmes also investigate relations between Byzantium and medieval Europe, the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean.

The Department participates in the international community of Byzantine studies with its long-term programmes, its scholarly publications and the staff's systematic participation in international conferences in Greece and abroad.

The Department hosts international conferences and colloquia which explore topics relevant to the scientific activities of its Programs. Academics and visiting researchers from Greece and abroad are invited to give lectures and seminars which are attended by the IHR staff and postgraduate students.

Department for Byzantine Research Programmes

1. Archival, Palaeographic and Diplomatic Research
2. Institutions, Society, Internal and Foreign Policy of Byzantium (formerly Byzantine      History Data Bank)
3. Byzantium and the World of the Slavs and the Balkans
4. The Historical Geography of the Greek Region
5. Byzantium and the West
6. Everyday and Social Life in Byzantium

Hosted Programmes
Project Thomas de Aquino Byzantinus (Sept. 2007- )

Publishing Activity
Since 1966, the Department has published a total of 84 volumes distributed in nine series which contain primary source research, project publications, monographs and international colloquia proceedings.

'Symmeikta', the Department's journal, constitutes a separate series, numbering 17 printed volumes. From 2009, the journal is also published online with open access under the title 'Byzantina Symmeikta' (www.byzsym.org). Digitized previous volumes can also be accessed from the same link.

Educational Activity
The 'Historical Sciences Seminar' taught by staff members, colleagues from other NHRF Departments, as well as other experts and researchers is offered annually at the IBR since 1987. The seminar is addressed to graduate and postgraduate students who wish to acquire the necessary skills for historical research.

The IBR also organises in collaboration with the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens the annual postgraduate and interdisciplinary seminar 'Nikos Oikonomides'.

Electronic Data Bases
• Archaeology of the City of Athens: http://www.eie.gr/archaeologia/En/Index.aspx
• Byzantine History Data Bank
• Byzantine Monuments of Attica: http://www.eie.gr/byzantineattica/view.asp?lg=en
• Dreaming in Byzantium: http://dib.eie.gr
• Hagiography of the Later Byzantine Period (1204-1453): http://byzhadb.eie.gr
• Modern Applications of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Bookbinding
• NHRF Repository - 'Helios': http://helios-eie.ekt.gr/EIE/?locale=en
• Pandektis: Digital Thesaurus of Primary Sources for Greek History and Culture: www.pandektis.ekt.gr/dspace/?locale=en

The D.A. Zakythinos Library
The Library shared by the Departments for Byzantine Research and Neohellenic Research was set up to provide scholarly support to staff members. Thus, the main bulk of titles reflects the orientation of previous and current research programmes.

The collection comprises 35.000 titles (books, offprints, journals, maps and audio-visual material), and its catalogue is accessible via the Internet (http://argo.ekt.gr/Argo/ArgoENU.html).

Services to Visiting Researchers
The IBR in collaboration with the other two NHRF humanities Departments projects the creation of an International Centre of Greek Studies. In the frame of this initiative the Department acts as host to Alexander S. Onassis Foundation fellowship holders, providing them with scholarly and technical support.