Introduction

Contemporary significance of Moscow, Constantinople (now Istanbul), and Rome itself is vividly alive today, attracting tourists and inspiring reflection.

Historical Background

These cities have their points in common, each aspiring to rule the world and establish their own versions of Rome of the Caesars, Constantinople of the Emperors, and Moscow of the Tsars. They were also the Rome of St. Peter, the Constantinople of the Patriarchs, and the Moscow of the Orthodox Metropolitans. These cities on earth aspired to heaven, becoming kingdoms that succeeded each other as standard-bearers of Christianity from the fourth century on.

Indeed, the Russian monk declared to the Tsar: "Two Romes have fallen, but the third stands, and a fourth shall never be." People recognize this, linking them together as the Three Romes.

These cities differ in their understanding of man's nature and business. The Three Romes are not only places but also states of mind.

Modern Perspective

Now, with a new introduction describing the contemporary significance of these cities, this book will be accessible to the modern reader at all levels.

The Content of the Book

This fascinating book weaves the past and present in a narrative that is sometimes harrowing, always vivid, and even, at times, amusing. Russell Fraser shows the reader each city as he himself saw it. He shuttles easily between today and yesterday, between today’s Central Committee and Ivan the Great, between Turkish Istanbul and the golden Constantinople of Justinian, between today’s Roman politics and the splendid Caesars.

Great historical events, intellectual concerns, and artistic riches define the three Romes. Fraser goes beyond the facades, images, and myths to lay bare the three great psychologies still vying for the mind of man. The Three Romes is an utterly original book—a celebration of the past and an urbane guide to the present.