...The Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire is the eastern Greek portion of the Roman Empire, sometimes termed the Later or Eastern Roman Empire. The Byzantine Greeks presented themselves as Romans and their Empire as the Roman Empire. They perceived themselves as the prolongation of the Roman Empire and on no account utilized the term "Byzantine" to present themselves (Frucht, 2004). For the reason of administration, Diocletian (who ruled about 284-305) segmented the dominion of the empire among four emperors. He administered the eastern part of the empire (McMeans & Teacher Created Resources, 2010). The Empire was reunified in 324 when, conquered all his foes, and became the dominant authority of the entire empire. The Byzantine Empire may then be dated to Constantine's development of a second capital; that he modelled on Rome, at Byzantium (Frucht, 2004). So from the establishment of this city as a second Rome, the division of east from west was developed, and the east soon came out as the prevailing half. In 330, Constantine the Great relocated the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople. There were a few reasons for that; one was that the city was a splendid defensive position. Secondly it approached the wealthy Eastern cities of the Empire and was close to the Military outposts edge with the Empire's principal rival, Persia (Frucht, 2004). Constantine also endorsed the initiation of Christianity from Constantinople. The eastern section of the Empire talked Greek...
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...Byzantine diplomacy drew its neighbors into a network of international and interstate relations, controlled by the empire itself. [5] This process revolved around treaty making. Byzantine historian Evangelos Chrysos postulates a three-layered process at work: 1) the new ruler was welcomed into the family of kings, 2) there was an assimilation of Byzantine social attitudes and values, 3) as a formalization of the second layer of the process, there were laws. [6] In order to drive this process, the Byzantines availed themselves of a number of mostly diplomatic practices. For example, embassies to Constantinople would often stay on for years. A member of other royal houses would routinely be requested to stay in Constantinople, not only as a potential hostage, but also as a useful pawn in case political conditions where he came from changed. Another key practice was to overwhelm visitors by sumptuous displays. Constantinople's riches served the state's diplomatic purposes as a means of propaganda, and as a way to impress foreigners. [7] When Liutprand of Cremona was sent as an ambassador to the Byzantine capital, he was overwhelmed by the imperial residence, the luxurious meals, and acrobatic entertainment. Special care was taken to stimulate as many of the senses in as high degree as possible: brightly lit things to see, terrifying sounds, tasty food; even the diplomatic set-piece of having barbarians standing around the throne wearing their native gear....
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...Byzantine Mosaics Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire, also known as the Later Roman or Eastern Roman Empire. Early Byzantine architecture was used as a way of reminiscing on Roman architecture. Some advancements were the increased geometric complexity, mosaics, addition of brick and plaster, complex domes, and windows that filtered light through thin sheets of alabaster. Byzantine architecture became characteristic by the 6th century with the building of Hagia Sophia, which was the first masterpiece and most famous building of the time period. One key element in the Hagia Sophia was the use of mosaics, which then led to mosaics becoming a key design element in the Byzantine era. The Byzantine Empire inherited...
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...Question: Explain the development and the nature of the Byzantine institutions (church and state), social and urban life, and cultural achievements? Answer: Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire from about the 5th century until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. (The Roman Empire during this period is conventionally known as the Byzantine Empire.) The term can also be used for the art of states which were contemporary with the Byzantine Empire and shared a common culture with it, without actually being part of it, such as Bulgaria, Serbia or Russia, and also Venice, which had close ties to the Byzantine Empire despite being in other respects part of western European culture. It can also be used for the art of peoples of the former Byzantine Empire under the rule of the Ottoman Empire after 1453. In some respects the Byzantine artistic tradition has continued in Greece, Russia and other Eastern Orthodox countries to the present day. The finest work, the most elegant, and the most accomplished technically, was, naturally enough, associated with the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, which was the very hub of the civilized world from the foundation of the city as capital around 330 till its conquest by the Turks in 1453. But there were other great centers too. In Rome, Milan, Ravenna, and elsewhere in the West works of the greatest importance that were in no way provincial were executed in the early years of Christendom...
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...http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-byzantine-art.htm - Source C Byzantine paintings and icons are often recognized for their relatively two-dimensional representations. The emphasis of the artists was not on realism but on forms that could be easily identified to transmit stories from the Bible and Christian history. In this style, painted figures often look stiff and awkward. In some paintings, the subjects appear to be weightless, floating in golden ether. Typically rich in color, Byzantine artists often used deep gold, blues and greens. The use of gold expressed the glory and richness of the faith. Bright colors helped make figures in paintings and mosaics identifiable from a distance. In secular art, those colors helped to distinguish the ranks of the subjects being depicted. For many Byzantine pieces, those colors have withstood centuries of exposure and remain vibrant today. http://archaeology-travel.com/photo-album/byzantine-mosaics-in-the-art-institute-of-chicago/ Mosaic traditions in the Middle East begin in late Antiquity, and one of the largest and best preserved Roman mosaics is the now well-travelled Lod Mosaic found not that long ago in Israel. From the fifth century on, from Syria to Egypt mosaics were used to decorate both religious and secular, public buildings. The tradition comes to an end in the eighth century, after the fall of the Umayyad dynasty in 750: churches fell into disrepair and were later destroyed. The only surviving examples are...
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...ByZantine Music culture Body What is known today as Byzantine music has been developed and refined for over two millennia. With its earliest roots going back to Pythagoras' philosophy on the division of chords, its latest and final revision took place in 1881 in the city of Istanbul; the city still referred to by the practitioners of this complex art by its more ancient name of Constantinople. For the purposes of this essay, the name Constantinople will refer to the city up to and including the present day. To provide for a clearer understanding of the theory of Byzantine music, the process of the development of Byzantine music as it is known today will be divided into two eras. We will call these two eras pre-Byzantine, and Byzantine periods of musical development. The pre-Byzantine part of the essay will cover developments made before the foundation of Constantinople. This period includes everything before c. 330 C.E. The Byzantine period will include all of the advancements made after the founding of Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. Every refinement made up to the present day, the most important dates being the simplification of the notation in 1821 by John Koukouzeles and the great council of 1881, will be included in this period, but not, unfortunately in the essay. Although there is a very significant part played by notational theory on the development of Byzantine music theory and Hymnography, the scope of this essay does not allow for us to delve into...
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...empire broke up to parts and power of the centralized state sharply fell. Feudal lords started being exempted from its guardianship, and in Byzantium the feudal ancestral lands close to the West European was formed. Even after restoration of unity of the empire and return of Constantinople (1261) states hadn't any more forces to resist to sharply increased power of the feudal aristocracy. The empire was more and more split up for destinies, and functions of the government gradually passed to feudal lords. But even in the period of feudal dissociation the central power didn't lose completely the positions, because of constant military danger. Why the term feudalism in relation to Byzantium raises doubts? And why we can't tell about the Byzantine feudalism, how about primary concept of feudalism?...
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...“Why Byzantine economy remained one of the most powerful in Europe through Early Middle Ages?” The Byzantine cconomy was one of the largest systems throughout Europe and the Mediterannean for many centuries. Both local and international trade were of huge importance for the Byzantine Empire. Lower class, including traders, depended on the upper class. Their need of the foreign goods in order to stay in Local trade was much less popular. Throughout the fourth and sixth centuries, long-distance trade was operating successfully, until the plague appeared, which killed around one-third of the citizens in the Byzantine Empire, and ruined the trade networks. The Byzantine economy had recovered in the tenth century, and Italian merchants contributed to its steady growth in the Mediteranian through the tenth and eleventh centuries (Katz 27-39). To begin, the decades of instability as well as foreign invasions mostly by Germanic tribes, led to an establishment of a new military, political, and administrative framework under Diocletian (284-305), and Constantine I, which also led to a new economic power in Byzantine and Constantinopole. From 395 to 476, the Empire was in a big crisis until the Germans left the territory. Emperor Justinian I provided the growth of the economy, but also the growth period ended with the “Justinian Plague” that broke out in Egypt in 542, and reduced the population in all provinces of the empire. The “Justinian Plague” continued until the 8th century. At...
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...13 century. At the time, the Byzantine Empire, which rose from the fall of the Roman Empire hundreds of years, was in controlled the region. The Ottomans after the came into existence started to continuous expand, during which they spread from the small northwestern to cover most of Anatolia and southeastern Europe The Seljuk Turks controlled the Anatolia and the Middle East at the time, a more vast area than what the Ottomans controlled. However, an army led by Osman I went ahead and expanded into the vast majority of Anatolia, In 1299, Osman announced himself sultan, becoming the first ruler of the Ottoman Empire The defeat of the Seljuqs in 1293 by the Mongols, Osman became the first ruler of the Ottomans where he went to war and and expanded by taking over Byzantine Bithynia in Anatolia, commanding islam warriors referred to...
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...The Ottoman Empire was founded in the year 1299, at this time only a small Anatolian state. However, the country had greater ambitions and sought to bring down the ailing Byzantine Empire. In 1453 they would realise this goal when Ottoman forces stormed the walls of Constantinople, declaring the great city as their new capital. Since then, the country entered a period of relentless conquest and expansion. The country reached its peak in the late 16th century under Suleiman the Magnificent, boasting a vast empire that stretched over three continents. However, after the failure of the Ottoman plot to seize the Austrian capital, Vienna, the empire entered a gradual decline. Over the course of 4 centuries, the Ottomans would lose grip over their conquered territories, its borders creeping closer and closer to Constantinople. Nevertheless, the Ottomans remained a force to be reckoned with and an empire of enviable size. Throughout the mid to late 19th century, the Ottoman government would oversee an era of widespread social, political and economic reform known as Tanzimat, Turkish for reorganisation. Some of the key reforms included emancipation of non-Muslims, reorganisation of the military and financial system, the building of rail and telegraph infrastructure and a boom in the size of the Ottoman bureaucracy. In 1876 an Ottoman Constitution was introduced. While...
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...leaders, and political instability which lead to the split of the empire (Western and Eastern). The Eastern Empire was lead to be known as the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire, even though it became its own independent empire after the Roman fell, it can be considered a partial continuation of Rome. The Byzantine Empire kept most of the characteristics of the Roman Empire’s government with some slight modifications. It had a system of aristocracy (few people hold power) and bureaucracy (state officials that make important decisions, they aren’t elected). At the head of the government was the Emperor, just like in the Roman Empire, and beneath him were a multitude of officials and court officers. They helped the emperor administrate the vast empire. In addition, the emperor...
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... | | Byzantine Empire 330 C.E. to 1453 C.E. --- Only in the eastern Mediterranean did a classical empire survive. The eastern half of the Roman empire, known as the Byzantine empire, withstood the various problems that brought down other classical societies and survived for almost a millennium after the collapse of the western Roman empire in the fifth century C.E. --- The Byzantine empire was a political and economic powerhouse of the postclassical era. Until the twelfth century, Byzantine authority dominated the wealthy and productive eastern Mediterranean region. The Byzantine empire also deeply influenced the historical development of the Slavic peoples of eastern Europe and Russia. Byzantine missionaries and diplomats introduced writing, Christianity, codified law, and sophisticated political organization into lands settled by Slavic peoples. Because Byzantine political, economic, and cultural influence stretched so far, historians often refer to it as the “Byzantine commonwealth.” Just as Greek and Roman initiative brought Mediterranean lands into a larger integrated society, Byzantine policies led to the formation of a large, multicultural zone of trade, communication and interaction. --- The Byzantine empire takes its name from Byzantion - latinized as Byzantium – a modest market town and fishing village that occupied a...
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...empires arose during the postclassical period, before 1450, the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Caliphates. The Islamic Caliphate was influenced by Muhammad’s teachings and the Byzantine Empire was influenced by Christianity and each established their rule through their dominant religion. Christianity became the Byzantine Empire’s state religion as did Islam for the Islamic Caliphates. Both empires established their political leaders as their religious leaders so they would have more power over the citizens. They used religion to unite the people and to justify expansion for their government. However, these empires did not have similar legal systems. The laws of the Byzantine Empire were based off of Roman laws and the Islamic Caliphates centered their laws on the Quran. Neither empire failed to acknowledge the importance of religion in each society. Because of the importance, the leaders of both empires, the Emperor in the Byzantine and the Caliph in the Caliphates, were set as the head religious figures. This similarity between the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Caliphates shows how they each empowered their leaders by relating them with the beliefs of the...
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...Alexius of Byzantine and Pope Urban II were two crucial characters described in Chapter 8 of our textbook. Before going in to what the motives of Alexius and Pope Urban II were, it is crucial that we explain who they were. In summary, Alexius Comnesus was a Byzantine emperor who ruled from 1081 until 1118, and requested that Pope Urban II would help him raise an army in order to recapture Anatolia from the Seljiq Turks. This general ultimately did more than other rulers in his time: “Alexius managed to shore up the failing economy and to secure his hold over the Balkans” (pg 197). Shortly after aiding the economy, Alexius began to arrange a campaign against the Selijuqs. Because the mercenary force was lacking, Alexius contacted Pope...
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...“Why Byzantine economy remained one of the most powerful in Europe through Early Middle Ages?” The Byzantine cconomy was one of the largest systems throughout Europe and the Mediterannean for many centuries. Both local and international trade were of huge importance for the Byzantine Empire. Lower class, including traders, depended on the upper class. Their need of the foreign goods in order to stay in Local trade was much less popular. Throughout the fourth and sixth centuries, long-distance trade was operating successfully, until the plague appeared, which killed around one-third of the citizens in the Byzantine Empire, and ruined the trade networks. The Byzantine economy had recovered in the tenth century, and Italian merchants contributed to its steady growth in the Mediteranian through the tenth and eleventh centuries (Katz 27-39). To begin, the decades of instability as well as foreign invasions mostly by Germanic tribes, led to an establishment of a new military, political, and administrative framework under Diocletian (284-305), and Constantine I, which also led to a new economic power in Byzantine and Constantinopole. From 395 to 476, the Empire was in a big crisis until the Germans left the territory. Emperor Justinian I provided the growth of the economy, but also the growth period ended with the “Justinian Plague” that broke out in Egypt in 542, and reduced the population in all provinces of the empire. The “Justinian Plague” continued until the 8th century. At...
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