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Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Empire. Continuation of Rome and foundation of the Middle Ages from the 7 th c . Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium). 532-65 Justinian 565-717 Contraction 717-843 Reconstruction and Iconoclasm 843-1071 Expansion, Middle Byzantine Era Paves the way for Middle Age Europe.

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Byzantine Empire

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  1. Byzantine Empire Continuation of Rome and foundation of the Middle Ages from the 7th c

  2. Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) • 532-65 Justinian • 565-717 Contraction • 717-843 Reconstruction and Iconoclasm • 843-1071 Expansion, Middle Byzantine Era • Paves the way for Middle Age Europe

  3. Justinian's Empire • Idea to reclaim all the Roman domains • Pays off Persians to keep them away, invades Europe • Persians invade anyway • Immediately after Justinian's death it all reverts • Conquers Italy and North Africa at great expense • 20 years to take Italy • Paves the way for Lombard expansion into Italy

  4. 565-717 Contraction • A new stability • Similar to the 'Dark Age' in the west • Drastic simplification of material culture • Education predominately within ecclesiastical elite • More rural • Less commerce • Politically decentralized • Militarized • Not many resources • Ancient cities fade, not all, but lots • Lots of enemies • Heretics

  5. Enemies in the period of Contraction • Avars, Bulgar Khans, and Slavic soldiers invade the Balkans and Greece • Internal divisions: • Maurice murdered by his own troops, succeeded by Phocas… • Persians, Avars, and Slavs besiege Constantinople in 626 • Justinian II (Rhinotmetos – the Slit-nosed) Reclaims Thessaloniki, mutilated, sneaks in through aqueduct, re-established office on consul • Umayyad Caliphate • Alexandria, Damascus, Egypt, etc • 674 Siege of Constantinople, naval victory • 717 Siege of Constantinople

  6. 717-843 Reconstruction and Iconoclasm • Reorganization of the Roman army. Re-polisation. • By location, not a centralized state army because there's no money (loss of Egypt) – cf Diocletian • Theme System ? – Autocephalous armies raised in kind. Revenue not raised by taxes to central authority, money raised in one province stays there. Each city supplies its own army. • Exile of entire peoples (Constans II way back in 7th c) to settle on frontiers • Reconquest of Balkans • Role of the Emperor as religious leader in East: iconoclasm • 7th c Monoenergism, Monothelitism, monophysites • Icons – portable images, not narrative, venerable but not worshiped • Iconoclasm worried these are idolatrous, response against Contraction

  7. Expansion of the Empire • Empress Irene of Athens restores the Icons, 843 • Viable military structure, consolidated state, series of good emperors • Frontiers more secure against Caliphate, Balkans reclaimed, Antioch retaken and islands, too • 1019 Defeat of the Bulgars • Defeat of Abbasids • Conversion of the Slavs • Splendid art and education

  8. Macedonian Renaissance • Macedonian Dynasty, 867-1056 • Basil I • 'Classical Period' in Byzantine Art and Architecture • Forerunner of the Italian Renaissance • Classical scholarship • Proto-humanism • Classical influences in art and architecture • HosiosLoukas

  9. Squinch and Pendentive on an Octagon

  10. Giotto • Padua • Arena Chapel

  11. Division of Eastern and Western Churches • Latin and Greek cultures become more distinct ecclesiastically • Latin and vernacular • Greek priests marry and have beards • Statues and icons • Sitting and standing • Communion with a spoon • Filioque • Poland and Russia • 989, Conversion of Russia and Bulgars and most of the Balkans • Three Romes? • Great Schism 1054

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