"The History of the Byzantine State" by Georg Ostrogorsky was recognized as a fundamental work for the study of Byzantine history almost immediately after its first edition, and the author had the opportunity to improve and enrich it in subsequent editions. It is not an exaggeration to claim that this work, which has been translated into many languages, accompanied the studies of all Byzantinologists after the war, and therefore can be considered to have influenced international research on the history of Byzantium like no other.

The author presents with clarity and systematicity the thousand-year course of the Byzantine Empire, from its rise to its tragic fall. Although the emphasis is on political history, there are extensive references to social, economic, ecclesiastical, and aesthetic factors of historical development. Ostrogorsky also highlights the connections of Byzantium with classical antiquity, as well as the relationship of Byzantine history with neighboring cultures of Europe and Asia.