Arch from St Polyeuktos church built in the sixth century by Iuliana Anicia (photographed by Liz James in Istanbul Archaeological Museum)

This project examines 'gender' in Byzantium, looking specifically at how 'gender' may be used as a tool of historical analysis in a pre-modern culture and society. Clearly, part of the definition of 'gender' is modern, but the project seeks to validate modern conceptions of gender against Byzantine implicit articulations of gender stereotypes: what it meant in Byzantium to be a woman, a man, and perhaps most interestingly a eunuch?

One of the most interesting, yet most difficult aspects of feminist inspired definition of gender studies for the academy to grapple with is the stress laid on 'experience' as a valid, important and indeed necessary corrective to theoretical speculations. As experiences are different, so too are the ways in which the experiences of 'gender' in Byzantium are examined.

One database of empresses brings together representations and accounts of empresses in literature and art across the whole Byzantine period in order to see how different sources match up or provide contrasting evidence and how that evidence changes over time.

The Centre hold a Gender Colloquium which focuses on the theme of masculinities and feminities in Byzantium, the ways in which the Byzantines defined gender, looks at the ways in which gender was defined through art (how to represent 'male' and 'female'), literature (how to describe 'male' and 'female') and archaeology, the actual physical location of men, women and eunuchs.

Publications:

Several books are published as part of the project: Liz James, Empresses and power in early Byzantium was published in 2001 (Leicester University Press). Contacts: Liz James, Dion Smythe (based at Queens University of Belfast)