‘in the image of god, in the image of rome: the byzantine ......c. hilsdale (2014) byzantine art...

‘In the image of God, in the image of Rome: the Byzantine Empire 330-1453’ HCA, Group 2 Rebecca Darley ([email protected]) From the rise of Constantine I in 307 to the fall of Constantine XI in 1453, the eastern Roman Empire, which we call ‘Byzantine’, ruled in the east Mediterranean from its capital in Constantinople, a vital component of the medieval world and a continuing link to the classical tradition. The empire was predominantly Christian and its belief in itself as the ‘empire of God’, a creation on earth of the heavenly court, shaped its social and political systems. It was also the Roman Empire and its historians and emperors situated themselves in a direct line from the classical Roman past. ‘In the image of God, in the image of Rome' explores the more than thousand-year trajectory of this empire, examining themes across time to see how its systems of government, religious beliefs, literary traditions and relations with outsiders changed over the centuries but also maintained crucial continuities. How did the tensions between being an empire of God and an empire of the Romans affect ordinary lives and imperial decisions? How did being an imperial subject in Constantinople compare to life lived in the provinces as these grew and shrank over the centuries? How did the lives of men and women fit into ideals about what it meant to be ‘Byzantine’? This course will give you an overview of Byzantine history with a clear emphasis on understanding its changing face over time, as well as providing an opportunity to explore specific people, moments and facets of its existence in depth. Introductory Bibliography: L. Brubaker and J. Haldon (2011) Byzantium in the iconoclast era, c. 680-850: a history, Cambridge. A. Cameron (1985) Procopius and the sixth century, London. J. Haldon (ed.) (2009) The social history of Byzantium, Oxford. J. Herrin (2001) Women in purple : rulers of Medieval Byzantium, London. C. Hilsdale (2014) Byzantine Art and Diplomacy in an Age of Decline, Cambridge. A. Kaldellis (2015) The Byzantine Republic : people and power in New Rome, Cambridge MA. Southwestern entrance mosaic from the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Created in the reign of Basil II (958-1025), depicting Constantine I (306-337) and Justinian I (527-565) donating the city of Constantinople and the Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) to Christ. Image by By Myrabella, Public Domain.

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‘In the image of God, in the image of Rome: the Byzantine Empire 330-1453’ HCA, Group 2

Rebecca Darley ([email protected])

From the rise of Constantine I in 307 to the fall of Constantine XI in 1453, the eastern Roman Empire, which we call ‘Byzantine’, ruled in the east Mediterranean from its capital in Constantinople, a vital component of the medieval world and a continuing link to the classical tradition. The empire was predominantly Christian and its belief in itself as the ‘empire of God’, a creation on earth of the heavenly court, shaped its social and political systems. It was also the Roman Empire and its historians and emperors situated themselves in a direct line from the classical Roman past. ‘In the image of God, in the image of Rome' explores the more than thousand-year trajectory of this empire, examining themes across time to see how its systems of government, religious beliefs, literary traditions and relations with outsiders changed over the centuries but also maintained crucial continuities. How did the tensions between being an empire of God and an empire of the Romans affect ordinary lives and imperial decisions? How did being an imperial subject in Constantinople compare to life lived in the provinces as these grew and shrank over the centuries? How did the lives of men and women fit into ideals about what it meant to be ‘Byzantine’? This course will give you an overview of Byzantine history with a clear emphasis on understanding its changing face over time, as well as providing an opportunity to explore specific people, moments and facets of its existence in depth.

Introductory Bibliography:

L. Brubaker and J. Haldon (2011) Byzantium in the iconoclast era, c. 680-850: a history, Cambridge.

A. Cameron (1985) Procopius and the sixth century, London.

J. Haldon (ed.) (2009) The social history of Byzantium, Oxford.

J. Herrin (2001) Women in purple : rulers of Medieval Byzantium, London.

C. Hilsdale (2014) Byzantine Art and Diplomacy in an Age of Decline, Cambridge.

A. Kaldellis (2015) The Byzantine Republic : people and power in New Rome, Cambridge MA.

Southwestern entrance mosaic from the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Created in the reign of Basil II (958-1025), depicting Constantine I (306-337) and Justinian I (527-565) donating the city of Constantinople and the Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) to Christ. Image by By Myrabella, Public Domain.
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