A concise study of the economy of the Byzantine Empire, a state that lasted from the fourth century AD until 1453. Organised chronologically, the authors address key themes such as demography, agriculture, manufacturing and the urban economy, trade, monetary developments, and the role of the state and ideology. The book provides a comprehensive view of the economy with a stress on the economic actions of the state, and emphasis on the productive role of the city and non-economic actors, such as landlords, artisans and money-changers. It concludes with a chapter comparing the Byzantine economy with the economies of western Europe, and draws the conclusion that the Byzantine economy was one of the most successful examples of a mixed economy in the pre-industrial world. There is no other general history of the Byzantine economy written in concise form, therefore this is important reading for those interested in medieval or pre-industrial economies.