THETHECOMMONWEALTH COMMONWEALTH

OFOFBYZANTIUMBYZANTIUM

I. The early Byzantium empireI. The early Byzantium empire

1255

A- The later Roman empire A- The later Roman empire and Byzantium and Byzantium Fifth century, eastern half of empire Fifth century, eastern half of empire

remained intact while west crumbledremained intact while west crumbled

Challenges: Sasanids and GermansChallenges: Sasanids and Germans

Highly centralized Highly centralized statestate

- Emperor with aura - Emperor with aura

of divinity,of divinity,

CaesaropapismCaesaropapism

- Large and complex- Large and complex

bureaucracybureaucracy

Justinian (527-565 C.E.) Justinian (527-565 C.E.) and his legacy; Theodora and his legacy; Theodora (empress)(empress)

Rebuilt Rebuilt Constantinoble, Constantinoble, includingincluding

Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia

Codified Roman lawCodified Roman law

Corpus iuris civilisCorpus iuris civilis (The Body of the Civil (The Body of the Civil Law)Law)

Sent Belisarius to Sent Belisarius to reconquer the reconquer the western Roman western Roman empire (didn’t last)empire (didn’t last)

Islamic conquests and Islamic conquests and Byzantium revivalByzantium revival

The emergence of the Islamic state, The emergence of the Islamic state, seventh centuryseventh century

Arab peoples conquered the Sasanid empire Arab peoples conquered the Sasanid empire and part of Byzantiumand part of Byzantium

Prolonged sieges of Constantinoble by Islamic Prolonged sieges of Constantinoble by Islamic armiesarmies

Byzantium survived partly because of Greek Byzantium survived partly because of Greek firefire

Byzantium society reorganizedByzantium society reorganized

Provinces (Provinces (themesthemes) ) under generalsunder generals

Armies of free Armies of free peasants helped peasants helped agricultural economyagricultural economy

Byzantine and western Europe: Byzantine and western Europe: ecclesiastical and political tensionsecclesiastical and political tensions

Byzantine economy and societyByzantine economy and society

Rural economy and societyRural economy and societyLarge agricultural base to support citiesLarge agricultural base to support citiesEconomy strongest when large class of free Economy strongest when large class of free

peasants peasants (themes)(themes) existed existedEconomy weakened when large landholders Economy weakened when large landholders

consolidated and made peasants dependentconsolidated and made peasants dependent

Industry and tradeIndustry and trade

Constantinople was major site of crafts Constantinople was major site of crafts industryindustryGlass, linen, textiles, gems, jewelry, gold and Glass, linen, textiles, gems, jewelry, gold and

silversilverSilk developed into major industry in sixth Silk developed into major industry in sixth

century; secrets came from Chinacentury; secrets came from China

Constantinople was clearinghouse Constantinople was clearinghouse for tradefor trade

Bezant was standard Bezant was standard currency of currency of Mediterranean basinMediterranean basin

Western anchor of Western anchor of trade route revived trade route revived silk roadssilk roads

Banks and partnerships supported Banks and partnerships supported commercial economycommercial economy

Urban lifeUrban life

Housing in Housing in Constantinople varied Constantinople varied widely by classwidely by class

Attractions of Attractions of Constantinople: Constantinople: baths, taverns, baths, taverns, theaterstheaters

Hippodrome used for mass Hippodrome used for mass entertainmententertainment

Chariot races most popular;Chariot races most popular;Greens and Blues rivalryGreens and Blues rivalry

III- Classical heritage and III- Classical heritage and Orthodox Christianity Orthodox Christianity

The legacy of classical GreeceThe legacy of classical GreeceOfficial language went from Latin to GreekOfficial language went from Latin to GreekState organized school system trained State organized school system trained

workforceworkforcePrimary education: reading, writing, grammarPrimary education: reading, writing, grammarLater education: classical Greek, literature, Later education: classical Greek, literature,

philosophy, sciencephilosophy, scienceHigher education in Constantinople: law, medicine, Higher education in Constantinople: law, medicine,

philosophyphilosophy

Byzantine scholarship Byzantine scholarship emphasized Greek traditionemphasized Greek tradition

Wrote commentaries on Greek Wrote commentaries on Greek literatureliterature

Preserved and transmitted Greek Preserved and transmitted Greek thought to later culturesthought to later cultures

The Byzantine churchThe Byzantine church

Most distinctive Most distinctive feature was feature was involvement of the involvement of the emperoremperor Council of Nicaea (325 Council of Nicaea (325

C.E.) in which C.E.) in which Arianism was declared Arianism was declared heresyheresy

Iconoclasm Iconoclasm controversy (726-843) controversy (726-843) was started by Leo IIIwas started by Leo III

Greek philosophy Greek philosophy applied to Byzantine applied to Byzantine theologytheology

Monasticism and popular pietyMonasticism and popular piety

Monasticism origins in Monasticism origins in early Christian early Christian ascetics (hermits)ascetics (hermits) ““Pillar saints” like St. Pillar saints” like St.

Simeon StyliteSimeon Stylite St. Basil of Caesarea St. Basil of Caesarea

(329-379C.E.) (329-379C.E.) organized monastic organized monastic movementmovement

Mt. Athos, monastery in northern Mt. Athos, monastery in northern Greece from ninth century to Greece from ninth century to presentpresent

Monks/nuns very popular with laityMonks/nuns very popular with laity

Provided social Provided social services to the services to the communitycommunity

Opposed iconoclasmOpposed iconoclasm

Tensions between eastern and Tensions between eastern and western Christianitywestern Christianity

Constantinople and Rome: strains Constantinople and Rome: strains mirrored political tensionsmirrored political tensions

Ritual and doctrinal differences, such as Ritual and doctrinal differences, such as iconoclasmiconoclasm

Schism in 1054 – Eastern Orthodox Schism in 1054 – Eastern Orthodox versus Roman Catholicversus Roman Catholic

IV- The influence of Byzantium in IV- The influence of Byzantium in eastern Europeeastern Europe

Domestic problems Domestic problems and foreign pressuresand foreign pressures Generals and local Generals and local

aristocrats allied; new aristocrats allied; new elite class challenged elite class challenged imperial powerimperial power

Western Europe took parts of Western Europe took parts of ByzantiumByzantium

Normans in southern Normans in southern Italy and SicilyItaly and Sicily

Crusaders carved out Crusaders carved out states and sacked states and sacked Constantinople (1204)Constantinople (1204)

Muslim Saljuq Turks invaded Muslim Saljuq Turks invaded Anatolia, defeated Byzantines at Anatolia, defeated Byzantines at Manzikert, (1071)Manzikert, (1071)

Ottoman Turks captured Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, the end of Constantinople in 1453, the end of

the empirethe empire

Early relations between Byzantium Early relations between Byzantium and Slavic peoplesand Slavic peoples

Byzantines began to influence Bulgarian Byzantines began to influence Bulgarian politics and culture after the eighth centurypolitics and culture after the eighth century

Cyrillic writing stimulated conversion to Cyrillic writing stimulated conversion to Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox Christianity

Education and religion tied together, led to Education and religion tied together, led to more conversionsmore conversions

Byzantium and RussiaByzantium and Russia

Mid ninth century, Mid ninth century, Russians started to Russians started to organize a large organize a large state: Kievstate: Kiev

The conversion of Prince VladimirThe conversion of Prince Vladimir

Kiev served as conduit for Kiev served as conduit for spread of Byzantine spread of Byzantine culture and religionculture and religion

Cyrillic writing and Cyrillic writing and literature and Orthodox literature and Orthodox missions spread missions spread Byzantine cultureByzantine culture

Byzantine art and Byzantine art and architecture dominated architecture dominated Kiev: icons and onion Kiev: icons and onion domesdomes

Princes established caesaropapist Princes established caesaropapist control of Russian Orthodox churchcontrol of Russian Orthodox church

Russian culture flourishes from Russian culture flourishes from eleventh centuryeleventh century

Moscow claimed to Moscow claimed to be world’s “third be world’s “third Rome“Rome“

Sent out many Sent out many missionaries from missionaries from sixteenth century onsixteenth century on