Byzantine society reorganized Provinces (themes) under generals - responsible for defense and administration. Byzantium survived partly because of Greek fire. Byzantine Emperors wore bejeweled crowns and silk dyed purple (reserved for imperial use)
Byzantine society reorganized Provinces (themes) under generals - responsible for defense and administration. Byzantium survived partly because of Greek fire. Byzantine Emperors wore bejeweled crowns and silk dyed purple (reserved for imperial use)
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Byzantine society reorganized Provinces (themes) under generals - responsible for defense and administration. Byzantium survived partly because of Greek fire. Byzantine Emperors wore bejeweled crowns and silk dyed purple (reserved for imperial use)
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
The early Byzantine empire: Name from Byzantion, small strategic
village, with potential to control strait to Black Sea, Constantine designated site to be new capital. • Procopius historic accounts included story of 2 monks who came from Persia which helped to start silk industry in Byzantine. Only classical society to survive turmoil • The later Roman empire and Byzantium: Stayed relatively stable o Fifth century, eastern half of empire remained intact while west crumbled; inherited Roman values but built state significantly different from classical Romans Challenges: Sasanids and Germans Responded by concentrated on maintaining integrity of wealthy eastern portion Highly centralized state Emperor with aura of divinity—Caesaropapism • Constantine Christian so can’t claim divine Large and complex bureaucracy – Byzantine – unnecessarily complex Byzantine court Emperors wore bejeweled crowns and silk dyed purple (reserved for imperial use) Splendor with technology, great respect • Justinian/Sleepless emperor (527-565 C.E.) and his legacy; Theodora (empress); both came from secular roots and smart o Rebuilt Constantinople, including Hagia Sophia (dome) o Codified Roman law_Corpus iuris civilis (The Body of the Civil Law) – influenced civil law throughout W. Europe o Sent Belisarius to reconquer the western Roman empire (didn't last) – needed too many resources and Ravenna became headquarters thus possessed art and architecture Showed that classical Rome was beyond recovery • Islamic conquests and Byzantine revival o The emergence of the Islamic state, seventh century Arab peoples conquered the Sasanid empire and part of Byzantium Prolonged sieges of Constantinople by Islamic armies Byzantium survived partly because of Greek fire o Byzantine society reorganized Provinces (themes) under generals – responsible for defense and administration Strengthened by themes system, expanded its influence • Basil II(976-1025CE) took Basil, blinded people Armies of free peasants helped agricultural economy by giving them land o Byzantium and western Europe: ecclesiastical and political tensions Constantinople bowed to Caesaropapist emperor in Greek while church of Rome conducted in Latin rejected claims to ecclesiastical matters West – unlearned, uncouth East – learned but bad Germans claim emperor of west, which insulted east o Liudprand of Cremona – Ambassador of Otto whom hated the Byzantine’s stuff Byzantine economy and society: Byzantium dominated all sorts of affairs in E. Med. due to strong economy and good land • Rural economy and society: Egypt big supplies to Byzantium till Arab conquests then Danube region and Anatolia o Large agricultural base to support cities o Economy strongest when large class of free peasants (themes) existed Contributed more tax due to exemptions Increased pool of recruits of military o Economy weakened when large landholders consolidated and made peasants dependent o Arab invasions opened up lands and afforded peasants opportunity to rebuild small holdings • Industry and trade: wealthy due to productive and Constantinople’s center of trade o Constantinople was major site of crafts and industry Glass, linen, textiles, gems, jewelry, gold, and silver Silk developed into major industry in sixth century; secrets came from China: Government monitored closely o Constantinople was clearinghouse for trade Bezant was the standard currency of Mediterranean basin Western anchor of trade route revived silk roads o Banks and partnerships supported commercial economy • Urban life: The City – heart is imperial palace o Woman aren’t permitted into wine flowing parties due to loss of honor later own… o Housing in Constantinople varied widely by class o Attractions of Constantinople: baths, taverns, theaters Hippodrome used for mass entertainment Chariot races most popular; Greens and Blues rivalry Classical heritage and Orthodox Christianity: First Christian emperor of Roman empire gave name and faith to Constantinople but developed different lines from Roman due to influence of Greece and divided later. • The legacy of classical Greece o Official language went from Latin to Greek (original Latin) Drew inspirations from N. Testament or Greek writings o State-organized school system trained workforce: Most people had education due to need of bureaucrats Primary education: reading, writing, grammar Later education: classical Greek, literature, philosophy, science Higher education in Constantinople: law, medicine, philosophy o Byzantine scholarship emphasized Greek tradition Wrote commentaries on Greek literature Preserved and transmitted Greek thought to later cultures • The Byzantine church o Most distinctive feature was involvement of the emperor Council of Nicaea (325 C.E.) in which Arianism was declared heresy – showed power of emperor in religion Church separate department of state and emperor appoints patriarch (pope) Iconoclasm controversy (726-843) was started by Leo III – demonstrated willness of emperors to involve themselves with religious matters o Greek philosophy applied to Byzantine theology Look to philosophy for enlighten on Jesus being men and God • Monasticism and popular piety o Monasticism origins in early Christian ascetics (hermits) "Pillar saints" like St. Simeon Stylite St. Basil of Caesarea (329-379 C.E.) organized monastic movement by giving them rules o Monasteries did not become centers of education or learning but had reputation for piety and devotion Monks went to great length to get in touch with god. o Mt. Athos, monastery in northern Greece from ninth century to present – no woman or animals to distract them o Monks/nuns very popular with laity Provided social services to the community Opposed iconoclasm • Tensions between eastern and western Christianity o Constantinople and Rome: strains mirrored political tensions o Ritual and doctrinal differences, such as iconoclasm o Schism in 1054--Eastern Orthodox versus Roman Catholic The influence of Byzantium in eastern Europe: Byzantines called themselves Romaioi but by 1000CE, different from Rome. But as Islamic and western powers pressure Byzantine, begun to influence Slavs more • Domestic problems and foreign pressures: After Basil II “the Bulgar-Slayer” died, Byzantine was powerful but declined in 50 year o Generals and local aristocrats allied from themes system; new elite class challenged imperial power Lost recruitment power and taxes o Western Europe took parts of Byzantium Normans in southern Italy and Sicily Crusaders carved out states and sacked Constantinople (1204); Venetians did to weaken Constantinople o Muslim Saljuq Turks invaded Anatolia, defeated Byzantines at Manzikert, 1071 o Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, the end of the empire • Early relations between Byzantium and Slavic peoples o Byzantines began to influence Bulgarian politics and culture after the eighth century o Missions to the Slavs Saints Cyril and Methodius, mid-ninth century Cyrillic writing stimulated conversion to Orthodox Christianity Education and religion tied together, led to more conversions • Byzantium and Russia o Mid-ninth century, Russians started to organize a large state: Kiev o The conversion of Prince Vladimir, 989 Kiev served as a conduit for spread of Byzantine culture and religion Cyrillic writing and literature and Orthodox missions spread Byzantine culture Byzantine art and architecture dominated Kiev: icons and onion domes o Princes established caesaropapist control of Russian Orthodox church o Russian culture flourishes from eleventh century Moscow claimed to be world's "third Rome" Sent out many missionaries from sixteenth century on 15/10/2007 18:39:00 15/10/2007 18:39:00