Lunch Lecture Jeroen Wijnendaele, 'Personal Security in the Eastern Roman Empire. Prolegomena on Power, Patronage and Resilience (c. 400-600 CE)'

On Friday 8 May 2026 (12:30), we welcome Prof. Jeroen Wijnendaele for a paper titled 'Personal Security in the Eastern Roman Empire. Prolegomena on Power, Patronage and Resilience (c. 400-600 CE)'. Jeroen Wijnendaele is currently Gerda Henkel Stiftung visiting professor at the History Department at Ghent University. He is a well-known public historian in Flanders and an expert of late Roman and the early medieval (mostly Merovingian) history of the Latin West. His research relates mostly to the political, social and military history of Imperial Rome and Early Byzantium, the complex development of barbarian communities in Late Antiquity, and the reception of 'The Fall of Rome' in western culture. 

Abstract

With this paper, Jeroen would like to introduce his current research project which is focused on personal security forces in the Eastern Roman Empire from the late fourth to the early seventh century. It is especially concerned with the issue of retainership, for which there still exists no major study in Late Antique scholarship. The period under examination is one where armed retinues became more and more in vogue in Eastern Roman society, even though the Imperial government was officially cracking down on it. This raises important questions on issues such as state authority and patronage, how these collided at times, but also could be synchronized to the benefit of Constantinople"

Please note that the lecture will start at 12:30 in the meeting room 'Camelot' on the 3rd floor of the Blandijn building in Ghent.