The first volume of The Symmachia of the Roman Empire with the God of Christians (4th – 6th Century), titled An Extraordinary Change: The Birth of a New Era, was devoted to reflections on the genesis of the alliance of the Roman Empire with the God of Christians as such and to the significant transformations that marked this breakthrough. In the second part, which is the present volume, the author deals with ecclesial institutions on the one hand and, on the other, rulers' efforts to maintain an alliance with God, which had been threatened, as they firmly believed, by various church splits epitomized by the great theological disputes like the Arian, Nestorian or Monophysite controversies. Professor Sławomir Bralewski’s work is undeniably important. This is a well-thought-out study, supported by the author's research in the field conducted over many years. It is therefore the fruit of his scientific maturity. The book is a concise, logical whole that offers a fair account, both substantive and bibliographic, of Polish and foreign achievements regarding the history of early Byzantium. On the one hand, the author's theses have the hallmarks of innovation, on the other, they are based on time-tested research methodology. They can therefore constitute an |