An Introduction: Gender and Sex(uality) in Byzantium?

The present publication is among the first to assess an array of studies targeting historical and cultural phenomena about gender, sex, and sexuality in Byzantium. The book is designed to provide an up-to-date survey of the state of gender studies including the shifts in focus and theoretical standpoints in the relevant research, to showcase new studies, and to point to novel ideas and avenues of exploration towards further developments in the futurE. The various chapters analytically and interpretatively demonstrate the way the critical terms of gender, sex, and sexuality engage with markers of culture and society in Byzantium as expressed in textual, material, and visual productions to create multiple designations and thereby build multiple identities. Our primary goal is not necessarily to provide definitive answers but rather to foster further inquiry.