Byzantine-Jewish economic history
Joshua Holo
When Samuel Krauss first took up the subject of Byzantine-Jewish history, he claimed to do so “as one would an orphan”; and though it has grown somewhat since publication his seminal Studien zur byzantinisch-jüdische Geschichte in 1914, field still remains at margins both Byzantine Jewish history. The Jews did not play what could fairly call a pivotal role fate Empire, is more, time left us with relative dearth primary sources as compared other major communities Mediterranean Europe. Furthermore, Byzantium never figured, quantitatively, part overall economy empire. Agriculture, government army dominated resources that determined wealth its distribution, while were overwhelmingly urban rigidly excluded from military civil service. But within smaller economic sector trade, indeed loom disproportionately large, through their prodigious activity few but significant industries, they demonstrably helped shape In addition, study Jewry offers unique vantage point which consider larger trends view medieval perspective reveals otherwise ignored patterns trade communication, calls into question our standard ways viewing interaction society large.
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