The Faculty are extremely sorry to report the death of Cyril Mango, emeritus Bywater and Sotheby Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Language and Literature from 1973 to 1995 and Professorial Fellow of Exeter College. He passed away on Monday 8 February.

Cyril was born in Istanbul in the year 1928 when its historical centre was still relatively intact, and would spend most of his academic career studying the monuments of Constantinople and reconstructing its urban landscape on the basis of written and material sources. He studied at St Andrew’s and the Sorbonne before embarking upon a brilliant academic career which would lead him to Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Center (Washington), King’s College London and eventually Oxford University. He was involved in many archaeological excavations, wrote extensively on various aspects of Byzantine history, and edited and translated numerous texts. He never really retired, but continued his research until quite recently, preparing a detailed topographical account of the city he loved so dearly, Constantinople.

Cyril will be remembered by his friends and colleagues with great affection not only for his exceptional scholarly gifts but also for his kindness, generosity and wit.