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History of Western Civilisation - Wednesday 5th Period: Lecture 7: Byzantine Civilization of the Mid
Byzantine Civilization of the Middle Ages
In the fifth century AD, the mighty Roman Empire "fell" to invading barbarians and complex internal pressures. An empire that had been centrally governed for centuries disintegrated into numerous warring states. Yet the Emperor Constantine's new capital city -- named with charming modesty after himself -- remained.
Constantinople was located on a peninsula, which made it naturally secure from invasion on three sides, and its fourth side was fortified with a network of three walls that withstood direct attack for over a thousand years. Its stable economy provided a strong military and, together with an abundant food supply and advanced civil engineering, a high standard of living. Christianity was firmly entrenched in Byzantium, and literacy was more widespread there than in any other nation in the middle ages. Although the predominant language was Greek, Latin was also fairly common, and at one point all seventy-two of the world's known languages were represented in Constantinople. Intellectual and artistic endeavors thrived.
This is not to say that the Byzantine Empire was an oasis of peace in the desert of the perilous middle ages. On the contrary, its long history is marked by numerous wars and remarkable internal strife. Its official borders expanded and shrank several times as its rulers attempted to restore the empire to its former glory or fought off invaders -- or occasionally attempted both simultaneously. The penal system was so harsh as to be viewed by western crusaders -- no strangers to mutilation and other extreme measures in their own systems of justice -- as exceedingly cruel.
Nevertheless, Byzantium remained the most stable nation of the middle ages. Its central location between western Europe and Asia not only enriched its economy and its culture but allowed it to serve as a barrier against aggressive barbarians from both areas. Its rich historiographical tradition -- strongly influenced by the Orthodox Church -- preserved ancient knowledge upon which splendid art, architecture, literature and technological achievements were built.
Alas, all good things come to an end. The Byzantine Empire's end came at the hands of the Ottoman Turks who, since nearly the beginning of Byzantium's ascendancy, had been trying to conquer it. In 1453 they finally did. They renamed the city Istanbul, turned the Hagia Sofia
into a mosque, and Islam has reigned there since.
We will revisit the Byzantine Empire from the point of view of the Islamic world next week, and from the point of view of the rest of Western Europe later in the semester.
(Cribbed from: http://historymedren.about.com/cs/byzantinestudies/a/forgotten.htm)
[[OOC: OCD threads arecoming up!!]]
In the fifth century AD, the mighty Roman Empire "fell" to invading barbarians and complex internal pressures. An empire that had been centrally governed for centuries disintegrated into numerous warring states. Yet the Emperor Constantine's new capital city -- named with charming modesty after himself -- remained.
Constantinople was located on a peninsula, which made it naturally secure from invasion on three sides, and its fourth side was fortified with a network of three walls that withstood direct attack for over a thousand years. Its stable economy provided a strong military and, together with an abundant food supply and advanced civil engineering, a high standard of living. Christianity was firmly entrenched in Byzantium, and literacy was more widespread there than in any other nation in the middle ages. Although the predominant language was Greek, Latin was also fairly common, and at one point all seventy-two of the world's known languages were represented in Constantinople. Intellectual and artistic endeavors thrived.
This is not to say that the Byzantine Empire was an oasis of peace in the desert of the perilous middle ages. On the contrary, its long history is marked by numerous wars and remarkable internal strife. Its official borders expanded and shrank several times as its rulers attempted to restore the empire to its former glory or fought off invaders -- or occasionally attempted both simultaneously. The penal system was so harsh as to be viewed by western crusaders -- no strangers to mutilation and other extreme measures in their own systems of justice -- as exceedingly cruel.
Nevertheless, Byzantium remained the most stable nation of the middle ages. Its central location between western Europe and Asia not only enriched its economy and its culture but allowed it to serve as a barrier against aggressive barbarians from both areas. Its rich historiographical tradition -- strongly influenced by the Orthodox Church -- preserved ancient knowledge upon which splendid art, architecture, literature and technological achievements were built.
Alas, all good things come to an end. The Byzantine Empire's end came at the hands of the Ottoman Turks who, since nearly the beginning of Byzantium's ascendancy, had been trying to conquer it. In 1453 they finally did. They renamed the city Istanbul, turned the Hagia Sofia
into a mosque, and Islam has reigned there since.
We will revisit the Byzantine Empire from the point of view of the Islamic world next week, and from the point of view of the rest of Western Europe later in the semester.
(Cribbed from: http://historymedren.about.com/cs/byzantinestudies/a/forgotten.htm)
[[OOC: OCD threads are
ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: ATTENDANCE: Sign In: Western Civ Lecture 7
QUESTIONS: Western Civ Lecture 7
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Re: QUESTIONS: Western Civ Lecture 7
if she was raising the hand with the scrapes, but said nothing.Re: QUESTIONS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: OOC: Western Civ Lecture 7
Also, she's now got that damn They Might Be Giants song stuck in her head.
Re: QUESTIONS: Western Civ Lecture 7
TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
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Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
"I was trying to show off..." having heard the radio last night, she skipped the part about who she had been showing off for, "...this morning and found out they were gone by smashing my hand," she said with a half shrug.
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
He reached over and laid a hand lightly on Molly's shoulder for a moment. "I feel so out of my depth here. I wish I could do something to help you, but I'm afraid I'm helpless to do so."
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: TALKING IN CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
AFTER CLASS: Western Civ Lecture 7
OOC: Western Civ Lecture 7
Re: OOC: Western Civ Lecture 7