Originally published in 1926, but revised in 1969. This is a companion piece to Runciman's book on Mistra, following the history of a fragment of the Byzantine Empire through its history post-1204. The writing is fairly lively, and there is no map. Trebizond was the Black Sea end of the Silk Road during this period, and the state had a fairly high standard of living for the period covered. However, in the long run, it had not enough military power to persist once the surrounding states had been reduced to three or less. Thus, this is a cautionary tale for all readers who are not living in a major power. ( )