village in Macedonia. This unique film, focusing on Byzantine social history,
was produced in Greece by director Fotos Lambrinos in 1987. The story
follows the life of a young orphaned villager, Xenos, during a trouble time.
Faced with pressures from a spreading civil war and high taxation, villagers and
local leaders struggle to survive in the small fishing village of Doxobus.
This film also addresses various other historically accurate themes relevant to
life in 14th century Byzantium. For instance, the iconographers painting the
local church are members of an obscure dualist Manichean sect. Also, the
young orphan Xenos is sent by his stepfather to be raised and educated in the
local village monastery. Finally, the film illustrated how plague and war
dramatically alter life in a small Byzantine village. If you want a glimmer of life
in rural 14th century Byzantium, watch this film.