BYZANTINE DIPLOMACY DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION PERIOD

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the foreign policy and diplomatic relations of the Byzantine Empire during the period of the Great Migration, as well as the historical significance of the works of the Byzantine diplomats and historians Priscus of Panium and Menander Protector for the study of these subjects. Drawing on historical sources, it examines the Empire’s diplomatic relations with the Huns, Goths, Avars, Slavs, the Turkic Khaganate, and other nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples, with particular attention to diplomatic missions, negotiation processes, and diplomatic ceremonies. Furthermore, the article analyzes the foreign policy strategies, distinctive features of international relations, and diplomatic practices reflected in the works of these authors, highlighting their value as historical sources and their significance in contemporary historiography. These studies contribute to a deeper understanding of the formation and development of Byzantine diplomacy, the mechanisms through which the Empire pursued its foreign policy interests, and the historical characteristics of political and diplomatic relations among peoples and states.