Institute of History
Topic
The Avar and Slavic Invasions of the Balkans, 567–626
PhD. program
World History
Year of admission
2026
Name of the supervisor
Peter Bystrický, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Arts, Comenius University Bratislava
Annotation
The proposed dissertation focuses on the Avar and Slavic incursions into the Balkans between 567 and 626, viewed primarily from the perspective of Constantinople. It examines how the Byzantine Empire—at a time when it controlled more territory than it was able to defend—perceived, experienced, and responded to these invasions, not as marginal disorder but as a fundamental test of its power, identity, and survival. The aim of the study is to analyse Byzantine military responses, available strategic options, decision-making processes, and defensive mechanisms within the context of a shifting geopolitical environment, concurrent wars with Persia, and internal economic pressures and political change. The candidate is expected to trace how these attacks, invasions and other external threats affected the development of the Byzantine army, the financing of warfare, provincial administration, and diplomatic strategies, and how these crises translated into long-term transformations of Byzantine power in the Balkans and Asia. The dissertation should integrate military history, economic foundations, and foreign policy into a single coherent portrait of an empire striving to preserve itself and a world that was coming apart.
The candidate / PhD student is expected to have solid basic knowledge of Byzantine history in the period in question and within its broader geographical context. A good command of English is required; at least passive knowledge of German and another Slavic language (such as Serbian, Russian, or Bulgarian) is welcome. The research will also require work with written sources in Latin and Classical Greek.
The candidate / PhD student is expected to have solid basic knowledge of Byzantine history in the period in question and within its broader geographical context. A good command of English is required; at least passive knowledge of German and another Slavic language (such as Serbian, Russian, or Bulgarian) is welcome. The research will also require work with written sources in Latin and Classical Greek.