Byzantine Culture~ The Preservation of Greco-Roman Heritage

Change (∆) & RevolutionSpring SemesterMrs. Huff

Overview of Today’s Presentation Introduction ~ Role of the Cyrillic

Alphabet Art Architecture Spices Roman Law Causes of the Decline of the Byzantine

Empire

Introduction ~ The Cyrillic Alphabet Due to the location of Constantinople, the

Byzantine Empire frequently had contact with its neighbors to the north and east.

The people that lived there in central and eastern Europe were Slavic and did not have a written language.

Two brothers, Cyril and Methodius, were missionaries that taught the Slavs to read and write by creating a new, “Cyrillic” alphabet.

Cyrillic remains the foundation for the modern Russian alphabet.

Cyril & Methodius traveling to central and eastern Europe to spreadthe Christian word and teach the Slavs to read and write was an exampleof cultural diffusion. What aspects of Greco-Roman culture do you see in the Cyrillic alphabet?

Modern Russian

Ss. Cyril and Methodius• Cyril & Methodius converted many Slavs to Christianity. Descendents of these converts still follow the Eastern Orthodox faith.

•Cyril & Methodius are recognized as saints today both by the Roman Catholic Church as well as the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Byzantine Art

Byzantine art was completely devoted to religion.

Religious murals covered the walls and ceilings of churches, while mosaics covered the floors, walls and arches.

The location of a person’s image indicated that person’s importance in church doctrine. Jesus always occupied the dome of the church

Paintings and mosaics were used to create icons, or holy pictures that Byzantines revered.

Byzantine art was a reaction to Greek art. Meaning, Byzantine art was not very realistic. It was stiff or artificial. This is because their goal was not to

demonstrate realism, rather to inspire reverence and to emphasize the importance of renouncing pleasure in this life to prepare for the afterlife.

Hagia Sophia ~ Church of “Holy Wisdom” Byzantines excelled in

religious architecture. The best example of this is

Hagia Sophia located in Constantinople.

Ordered to be built in 532 by Justinian.

Included an interior that glittered from the sunlight, murals, mosaics and extensive metalworking. A golden altar was inlaid with precious stones.

Interior of Hagia Sophia

A huge dome (diameter 108’) dominates the structure.

Columns instead of walls support the dome, giving it a massive open feeling.

This marked the first time that a round dome was placed on a rectangular building.

Hagia Sophia Today

When Constantinople was captured by the Turks in 1453 Hagia Sophia became a mosque (Muslim house of worship).

Today it is owned by the state and is operated as a museum.

Ark of the Covenant

Constantine

Jonah Swallowed and Jonah Cast Up, 3rd century, Early Christian

loculi

Good Shepard, Orants, Story of Jonah, 4th Century, Early Christian

Orants

Detail – Christ Giving the Law

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

Early Christian House-Church

Byzantine Periods

Early Byzantine Period – associated with Justinian I

Middle Byzantine Period – worship of icons accepted again

Late Byzantine Period – 1261-1453

Late Byzantine Art

1261-1453

New style in art – church liturgy important

Use of trompe l’oeil in the churches

David the Psalmist, Paris Psalter, 10th century, Byzantine

Emperor Justinian and his wife Empress Theodora

Early Jewish Art

Council of Nicaea

Preservation of Roman Law

One of the Byzantine’s greatest contributions to civilization was the preservation of Roman law.

Justinian had ordered his scholars to collect and organize all of the laws of the Roman Empire.

Justinian’s Code of Laws

Justinian’s Code of Laws has four parts: The entire collection is called the Corpus

Juris Civilis 1 ~ The Code 2 ~ The Digest 3 ~ The Institutes 4 ~ The Novels

Spices Throughout the years spices

have played an important role in many important societies.

Black pepper was first grown on the western coast of India and was brought to Europe by trades who passed through the markets of Constantinople.

Some rulers collect pepper as tribute, while other societies actually used pepper as money.

By the 1400s spices from the East were in great demand in Europe, thus bringing greater numbers of people through Constantinople.

Decline of the Empire During the 1000s, the Saljuq

Turks from Central Asia captured most of Asia Minor.

In 1096, Constantinople appealed for help from the West, but in 1204 the Crusaders turned on the Byzantines and captured Constantinople. The westerners ruled for about 50 years.

The Byzantine Empire again existed but was no longer powerful.

The Ottoman Turks• During the 1300s the Ottoman Turks rose to power in the region and by 1453 were able to conquer the city of Constantinople.

• The Ottoman Turks effectively ruled the region of Asia Minor from 1453 until their collapse following World War I in 1919.