I’ve been really looking forward to this post.  Last week I published two articles on  periods of history to set a novel.  Burmesa who has a keen interest in history, and also hosts a brilliant blog on animation named Animestus, read the article and very kindly offered to write an alternative view.  Burmesa has a strong interest in the Byzantine period, and the Spanish Conquistadors, and has highlighted the Pro’s and Con’s of setting a novel in these periods.  So, over to Burmesa….. Byzantine Empire 330-1453 AD Pros: The Byzantine Empire has it all, which is no big surprise considering it reigned for more than a thousand years. Still, it mainly revolves around these three elements: Religion, wars, and intrigue (the urban definitions of both “Byzantine” and “Byzantine Plot” have not been made by chance). The Byzantine Empire was heavily influenced by the prevalence of Christianity. Also, it is the period during which all modern religious beliefs were either born or established. If your story’s theme is religion, this is your go to period. There’s …