The various phases of life and their manifestations in theory and social reality constitute a
well-established area of research in the fields of western medieval studies and ancient
history. In this respect the Byzantine East has been widely neglected. This volume will focus
on the Byzantine experience of adolescence which may be defined as the biological transition
from childhood to adulthood as well as the social and psychological experience of leaving the
care of parents guardians and family groups and the gradual integration into adult society.
The contributions gathered therein treat seven subtopics that correspond to crucial questions
in the current research on adolescence: the legal status of adolescents the mechanisms of
transition from childhood to adolescence the socialisation and gradual integration into adult
society adolescents in Byzantine art psychological aspects of adolescence from medieval to
modern times illnesses of adolescents adolescents in the western medieval world.The focus is
on the Middle and Late Byzantine Period where historical hagiographical legal and medical
sources offer rich material for an investigation of these aspects. The book contributes to a
better understanding of all these questions and to show future trajectories for research.
