{"product_id":"private-religious-foundations-in-the-john-philip-thomas-9780884024583","title":"Private Religious Foundations in the Byzantine Empire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThroughout its history, private religious foundations were prominent features of the ecclesiastical geography of the Byzantine Empire. Since the hierarchy of the church generally lacked the financial resources necessary for undertaking ambitious building programs, laymen took the initiative in providing churches, monasteries, and philanthropic institutions such as hospitals and orphanages. These foundations were important not only for the religious life of the empire, but also for its social and economic life. Many socially prominent Byzantines sought the fame that came to the builder of such a foundation, and many more owned them as family inheritances. A private religious foundation could serve as the core of a considerable family fortune that was bolstered by tax exemptions and imperial donations of landed property. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this book, John Philip Thomas examines the nature, extent, and importance of the private ownership of ecclesiastical institutions in the Byzantine Empire. For over a thousand years these foundations were closely bound to the fortunes of the empire and its ruling classes. More durable than either, they survived the fall of the Byzantine state itself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e John Philip Thomas\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 088402458X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780884024583\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dumbarton Oaks Research Library \u0026amp; Collection\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/20\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"John Philip Thomas","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47135572328703,"sku":"9780884024583","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_faafd8f0-1a2c-499b-b694-73487dc9db30.jpg?v=1755010545","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/private-religious-foundations-in-the-john-philip-thomas-9780884024583","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}