Byzantine Art and Culture

Objectives• The student will

demonstrate knowledge of the Byzantine Empire

• Essential Questions– What were the

contributions of Byzantine art and architecture?

– How did Greek and Roman culture survive within the Byzantine Empire?

The Roman empire, divided in the late AD200’s, was weakened by internal and external forces. Power shifted to the east, as Germanic invaders weakened the western half of the once great Roman empire.

By 330, the emperor Constantine, had built a new capital city in Constantinople on the site of the Greek city Byzantium. The Byzantine empire arose from this site.

At its height, the Byzantine empire covered an area from Rome through southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, down to Egypt and across North Africa.

The city of Constantinople was on a peninsula overlooking the Bosporus, a strait connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. From its central location, the city controlled key trade routes that liked Europe and Asia.

The Byzantine empire reached its peak under the emperor Justinian. Justinian was a autocratic ruler, or single ruler with complete authority.

Emperor Justinian became known for his collection of ancient laws known as Justinian’s Code.

Justinian’s Rule

• Under Emperor Justinian, the Byzantine empire experienced the first artistic and literary flowering of its own independent culture– Inspiration provided by

Christian religion and imperial power

• Justinian invested the enormous state budget in buildings of extraordinary magnitude

The Hagia Sophia• Means “holy wisdom”• Built by Justinian.

– Greek Orthodox Church• Largest dome in world at

time.– Showed glory of God.

• Built with government money.

• Lots of light and open space– Colors reflect light,

produce “warmth”• Hagia Sophia

convinced Vladimir (Kiev) to convert to Christianity.– Vladimir thought

Byzantine God must be powerful!

•Burnt to the ground twice. Second time during the Nika riots of 532 AD•Rebuilt by Justinian in 536 AD

TWO Religions Claim it as their own

• Originally built as a Christian Church

• In 1453 AD, it was turned into an Islamic Mosque.

Now it’s a museumhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRPp3jzv1Tw&app=desktop

Hippodrome• Held 60,000 spectators• Wild chariot races and

circus acts– Site of the Nika revolt in

532 C.E. • Hippodrome comes from

Greek words meaning “horse” and “racecourse”

Mosaics• Designs made by pieces

of stone, glass, etc.– Covered floors, walls,

ceilings.• Usually religious or

natural themes.• Figures appear stiff (not

real).• Calm faces try to inspire

reverence.

Emperor Justinian and AttendantsTile Mosaic (547 AD)

Icons• Best symbol of

Byzantine Art• Small religious

picture used to help focus prayer.– Thought to have

sacred powers• Depict Jesus, Mary,

Saints, Angels

Icons (Greek eikon) - became the center of controversy between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches.

Often painted on wood.Used in the home as well as in churches for worship.

Iconoclasm

• The belief in, participation in, or sanction of destroying religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46f-3rane14

Controversy Surrounding Icons

• Many people believed them to be idol worship.• These people became known as iconoclasts.• The Patriarch of Constantinople banned them for a time.• The Patriarch of Rome disagreed.

“NO ICONS. I mean it this time!”“You can’t ban

icons. I’ll ban you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“You’re excommunicated!”

(I’m kicking you out of the Church)

“YOU’REEXCOMMUNICATED!

”

Break-up of the Christian Church

In 1054 AD the Christian Church split into two parts.

Christian Church

Western Church The Roman Catholic Church

Led by the Pope, in Rome

Eastern Church The Eastern Orthodox Church

Led by the Patriarch of Constantinople.

The decline of the Byzantine empire came with the onset of invading armies. The final blow came at the hands of the Ottoman empire in 1453.

The Byzantine empire hoped to preserve Greek and Roman culture and also strongly influenced the first Russian state. As Russia traded with the Byzantine empire, the Byzantines influenced both Russian and eastern European development.

Why did the Byzantines want to preserve Greek and Roman culture?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpGsouOnxOU

The Byzantines gave Russia a written language. Two Byzantine missionaries adapted the Greek alphabet. This new system, called the Cyrillic alphabet is still used in Russia today.

Another Byzantine influence on Russia was that of an autocratic ruler. Autocratic rulers in Russia were known as czars. Czar is the Russian word for Caesar.

Achievements in Art and Architecture

Inspiration came from Christianity and to honor the power of the Byzantine Emperor

Icons were popular in Byzantine Art

Use of mosaics (glass collages) in both public and religious buildings

Most famous building “Hagia Sophia”

Characteristics of Byzantine Culture

Greco-Roman culture continues to flourish and Greek and Roman knowledge is preserved in Byzantine libraries

Greek is primary language

Form of Christianity practiced in Byzantine Empire is known as Greek Orthodox Christianity or Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Let’s Review!https://www.youtube.com/watc

h?v=n1a14i29en4