The Byzantine Empire: The The Byzantine Empire: The Evolution Evolution of Romeof Rome

REWIND…

To before the fall of the Roman Empire

• Rome Splits• into EASTERN and WESTERN

EMPIRES in 330 C.E.• CHRISTIANITY becomes the official

religion

The Byzantine Empire (330-1453 CE)

Byzantium = BlendByzantium = Blend

• Roman Roman • Empire Building Empire Building • Practicality Practicality • Warfare Warfare • City Building and City Building and

Planning Roman Planning Roman LawLaw

• Greek Greek • Language Language • Philosophy: Small Philosophy: Small

groups met groups met discussed the great discussed the great Greek ideas Greek ideas

• Religion: Eastern Religion: Eastern Orthodoxy will be Orthodoxy will be the synthesis of the synthesis of Greek Christians Greek Christians who separated from who separated from RomeRome

Founded on Two PrinciplesFounded on Two PrinciplesByzantium CharacteristicsByzantium Characteristics

Principle 1: • Religion: it was Religion: it was

an amazing an amazing religious center religious center that was to be that was to be based on the based on the Byzantine Byzantine tradition of tradition of splendor in splendor in architecture and architecture and faith.faith.

Principle 2: • Military: Tough Military: Tough

Army and city! In Army and city! In 1100 years it was 1100 years it was sieged almost sieged almost relentlessly yet fell relentlessly yet fell only 2 times…due only 2 times…due in large part to the in large part to the militaristic design militaristic design of its cities inside of its cities inside the triple walls of the triple walls of Theodosius ITheodosius I

GeographyGeography•Constantinople was

in• an ideal place for• trade and

protection.• •Gateway between• East and West for• Trade.• •Surrounded by

water• for protection.

Trade and IndustryTrade and Industry

Trade:• Gateway between Europe and Asia• Taxed goods traveling through the cityIndustry:• Byzantium created their own goods to export.– Farms– Cattle Ranches– Marble Quarries– Gold and Silver MinesFrom the 5th to the 15th centuries Constantinopleremained the greatest market and shipping centerin the world.”-Will Durant

Wealth and EconomyWealth and Economy

• Trade and Industry, made Byzantium wealthy.

• Coinage-gold coins called nomisma, which became the standard coin throughout the Mediterranean.

• The empire’s wealth came from taxes:

• sales taxes, property taxes, income taxes,

Christ Enthroned / Virgin Mary Crowning Emperor

Political OrganizationPolitical Organization

• EmperorThe head of the Empire– Determined taxes– Controlled the Army– Controlled the Treasury– Presided over all festivities– Head of the Eastern

Orthodox Church• The Emperor was the most

powerful person in the Empire.

• But, this does not mean that he was all powerful.

Alexios III Angelos: Byzantine Emperor (1195-1203)

Byzantine Empire to 1000Byzantine Empire to 1000

Notice the reclaimed lands by the New Rome!Notice the reclaimed lands by the New Rome!

The Age of JustinianThe Age of Justinian

• recovered provinces that had been previously overrun by invaders.

-The Byzantine -The Byzantine empire reached its empire reached its greatest size greatest size under under Justinian. Justinian.

• launched a program to beautify Constantinople.

-The church of Hagia The church of Hagia Sophia improved on earlier Sophia improved on earlier

Roman buildings.Roman buildings.

Justinian ruled the Byzantine empire from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian

1

Justinian's Reign…Justinian's Reign…• collected and reformed the Roman law - Justinian’s Code was a model for Justinian’s Code was a model for

medieval monarchs, the Roman Catholic medieval monarchs, the Roman Catholic Church, and later Church, and later legal thinkers. legal thinkers.

- - Corpus Juris CivilisCorpus Juris Civilis – Body of Civil Law – Body of Civil Law • used the law to unite the empire under his

control -- Justinian ruled as an autocrat, or sole Justinian ruled as an autocrat, or sole

ruler with complete authority. He also had ruler with complete authority. He also had power over the Church. power over the Church. - All leaders following him would follow that - All leaders following him would follow that tradition of autocratic rule. tradition of autocratic rule.

•

Characteristics of ManyCharacteristics of ManyByzantine EmperorsByzantine Emperors

• Skillful diplomats Skillful diplomats • Used spies Used spies • Played one enemy against Played one enemy against

another another • Bought peace by marring Bought peace by marring

daughters of possible rivals daughters of possible rivals • Were not afraid to use military Were not afraid to use military

force! Loved their “Greek Fire”force! Loved their “Greek Fire”

MilitaryMilitary

• • At its height, the Byzantine Empire had• the strongest military in Europe• • The Military also had a part to play in• politics, making them an important part• of the empire.• • The Military was divided:• – Army for land battles• – Navy for sea battles• • The Army and Navy both defended AND• conquered.

The ArmyThe Army

Army (on foot and horseback)• 120,000 Soldiers• Led by the emperor• Well-Supplied with steel swords,

spears & armor• Calvary-On horseback-Supplied with

lances and bows• Army had political power=more

prone to supporting their empire

The NavyThe Navy

• Smaller than the Army• 100-300 sailors per ship• GREEK FIRE: most potent weapon

Byzantine ReligionByzantine Religion• East and West Growing Apart? East and West Growing Apart? • 381 AD refusal to accept 381 AD refusal to accept

authority of the Papacy over authority of the Papacy over the church in the East the church in the East

• Byzantines, not Romans Byzantines, not Romans coveted their faith and this was coveted their faith and this was the worlds first religious state.

• 1054 Differences between the 1054 Differences between the east and west caused a east and west caused a schism, or permanent split; forming the ; forming the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churchthe Roman Catholic Church

•

History: Icons

Pope controlled Church affairs People accepted pope’s claim to authority over all Christians Clergy prohibited from marrying Latin was language of the Church Christmas was main holy day Use of holy images permitted.

Byzantine emperor controlled Church affairs People rejected pope’s claim to authority over all Christians Clergy kept right to marry Greek was language of the Church Easter was main holy day Emperor outlawed the use of icons, or holy images Eventually worship of the icon would return.

Western European ChristianityByzantine Christianity

1054 – Differences between east and west provoked a schism, or permanent split, between the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church.

Christianity in East and WestChristianity in East and West

The Byzantine HeritageThe Byzantine Heritage • Byzantine artists made unique contributions that Byzantine artists made unique contributions that

influenced western styles from the Middle Ages to influenced western styles from the Middle Ages to the present. the present.

Best example Best example

Icons were created to give the believer Icons were created to give the believer

the personal presence of God the personal presence of God • Byzantine scholars preserved the classic works of Byzantine scholars preserved the classic works of

ancient Greece. Greeks scholars took their ancient Greece. Greeks scholars took their philosophies to Western Europe philosophies to Western Europe

Impact Impact

The movement of those ideas would lay the The movement of those ideas would lay the foundation for the cultural explosion known as the foundation for the cultural explosion known as the Renaissance Renaissance

• Greatly influenced Russian society Greatly influenced Russian society

The Byzantine HeritageThe Byzantine Heritage

• Art and Architecture• Literature/Histories• Mosaics• Religious Art• Hagia Sophia• Monasteries• Imperial Palace• Illuminated Manuscripts

Architecture

Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of MiletusHagia Sophia

Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca 532-537

The Art of Byzantium

The canopy-like dome that also dominates the inside of the church rides on a halo of light from windows in the dome's base. The forty windows create the illusion that the dome is resting on the light that comes through them--like a "floating dome of heaven."

Huge wall piers to the north, half-domes to the east and west, and smaller domes covering columned niches give a curving flow to the design.

The "walls" in Hagia Sophia indicate that the architects sought Roman monumentality as an effect, but did not design according to Roman principles.

The use of brick instead of concrete was a further departure from Roman practice and characterized Byzantine architecture as a distinctive style.

Figure 12-3

Architecture

Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of MiletusHagia Sophia

Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca 532-537

The Art of Byzantium

The canopy-like dome that also dominates the inside of the church rides on a halo of light from windows in the dome's base. The forty windows create the illusion that the dome is resting on the light that comes through them--like a "floating dome of heaven."

Huge wall piers to the north, half-domes to the east and west, and smaller domes covering columned niches give a curving flow to the design.

The "walls" in Hagia Sophia indicate that the architects sought Roman monumentality as an effect, but did not design according to Roman principles.

The use of brick instead of concrete was a further departure from Roman practice and characterized Byzantine architecture as a distinctive style.

Figure 12-3

The architects were ahead of their time in that they used pendentives to transfer the weight from the dome to the piers beneath, rather to the walls. In this, the space beneath the dome was unobstructed and allowed room for windows in the walls, which created the illusion of the suspended dome. This technicality can be explained by experts today, but was a mystery to Anthemius' and Isidorus' contemporaries in the 6th century.

Additionally, the fusion of two independent architectural traditions [the vertically oriented central-plan building and the horizontally oriented basilica] was previously unseen, and was the successful conclusion to centuries of experimentation.

Architecture

Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of MiletusHagia Sophia

Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, ca 532-537

The Art of Byzantium

Figure 12-3

Mosaics

Justinian, Bishop Maxanius and attendants, mosaic from the north wall of the apse,

San Vitale, Ravenna, italy, ca. 547

The Art of Byzantium

Figure 12-10

The golden wreath of victory Christ extends during the Second Coming to Saint Vitalis is also extended to Justinian, for he appears on the Savior's right side in the dependent mosaic below and to the left of the apse mosaic.

These rites confirmed and sanctified his rule, combining the political and the religious. The laws of the Eastern Church and the laws of the state, united in the laws of God, were manifest in the person of the emperor and in his God-given right.

Justinian is distinguished from those around him, not only by his royal purple, but by his halo, another indication of his god-like status.

Each figure's position in the mosaic is important. Justinian, in the center, is distingushed by his holy halo. He seems to be behind bishop to the right, and with the imperial powers to the left, yet his bowl is in front of the bishop, unifying the two groups of people.

All of the figures are rigid in stature but the objects everyone is holding to the right gives it the sense of slow motion.

Their feet seem to float on the ground like divine powers and they all have blank stares and simple charactersitics.

Iconography of religion is used for these figures instead of veristic expression.

Mosaics

Justinian, Bishop Maxanius and attendants, mosaic from the north wall of the apse,

San Vitale, Ravenna, italy, ca. 547

The Art of Byzantium

Figure 12-10

Mosaics

Theodora and attendants, mosaic from the south wall of the apse,

San Vitale, Ravenna, italy, ca. 547

The Art of Byzantium

The empress stands in state beneath an imperial canopy, waiting to follow the emperor' procession. An attendant beckons her to pass through the curtained doorway.

The fact she is outside the sanctuary in a courtyard with a fountain and only about to enter attests that, in the ceremonial protocol, her rank was not quite equal to her consort's.

It is interesting in that neither she, nor Justinian ever visited Ravenna, where they are shown in the mosaic.

Theodora's portrayal is more surprising and testifies to her unique position in Justinian's court.

Theodora's prominent role in the mosaic is proof of the power she wielded at Constantinople and, by extension, at Ravenna. In fact, the representation of the Three Magi on the border of her robe suggests she belongs in the elevated company of the three monarchs who approached the newborn Jesus bearing gifts.

Figure 12-11

MosaicsVirgin (Theotokos) and Child,

icon (Vladimir Virgin), tempera on wood, Late 11th to Early 12th Century

The Art of Byzantium

Figure 12-29

The Vladimir Virgin clearly reveals the stylized abstraction that centuries of working and reworking the conventional image had wrought.

The characteristic traits of the Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child are all present: the sharp sidewise inclination of the Virgin's head to meet the tightly embraced Christ Child; the long, straight nose and small mouth; the golden rays in the infant's drapery; the decorative sweep of the unbroken contour that encloses the two figures; the flat silhouette against the golden ground; and the deep pathos of the Virgin's expression as she contemplates the future sacrifice of her son.

The icon of Vladimir was placed before or above stairs in churches or private chapels, and incense and smoke from candles that burned blackened its surface.

MosaicsVirgin (Theotokos) and Child,

icon (Vladimir Virgin), tempera on wood, Late 11th to Early 12th Century

The Art of Byzantium

Figure 12-29

It was exported to Russia in the early twelfth century and then taken to Moscow to protect the city.

The Russians believed that the Vladimir icon saved the city of Kazan from later Tartar invasions and all of Russia from the Poles in the seventeenth century.

It is a historical symbol of Byzantium's religious and cultural mission to the Slavic world.

These types of images were not universally accepted by Christians.

Those who opposed the use of “icons” are termed iconoclasts and those who embrace the concept of the “icon” are known as iconphiles

The following passage from Exodus 20:4,5 explains the reason behind the iconclast ideal: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or this is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them”