Byzantine Culture is sometimes unfairly treated as an imitation of the classic cultures of the ancient world, Greek and Roman.From the perspective of medieval thought was Constantinople, the capital of the Empire, it is a city of magic and unsurpassed beauty.
epics and novels in the early Middle Ages, particularly the French, described amaze treasures, the monumental work of art, amazing spices and exotic dishes, lush robes - what could be seen and enjoyed in beautiful Constantinople.
Of all the empires of the past, Byzantium was the country that lasted the longest.
Indeed, the culture of Ancient Byzantium contains Greek and Roman elements.For example, in the organization of social institutions in the early Byzantine period, the intellectual elite of the Roman law was applied.However, the Byzantines, appearing successors brilliant traditions have strengthened them with their unparalleled success, significantly influenced the course of history, world culture, the formation of ethnic identity in many Eastern European countries.Millennium Power remained light of civilization and culture for the whole world, never ceasing to evolve and innovate.
Art culture spread throughout the Byzantine Empire, including the most southern regions of Egypt and North Africa, remained under Byzantine control until the seventh century.The first century was marked by a major innovation that replaced the manuscript scrolls.Many luxuriously illustrated Byzantine manuscripts of the fourth to sixth centuries have survived, including the "Aeneid" by Virgil, "Iliad" of Homer, "The Old Testament" and "New Testament", medical treatises - among them the important work of Dioscorides' Materia Medica. "
culture of Byzantium - that great literature with an extensive collection of various materials, from high theological texts to the obscene stories, from the original works to the highest standards of tedious rhetoric.
Arts and Crafts represented vessels of silver, dishes, gold belt with coins and medallions, many other artifacts that were used in the spiritual and secular life.Extremely popular was the art of fresco painting and mosaic work.The sculpture of the early Byzantine period marked the transition from the classical ancient forms.
Among the most striking examples of secular architecture - the remains of the atrium of the Grand Imperial Palace or St. in Constantinople (in its place already in Istanbul, from the beginning of the seventeenth century stands the Blue Mosque), lavishly decorated with mosaics illustrating scenes from everyday life in the Empire.For religious architecture characteristic domed church, the most famous example - Hagia Sophia.Funded by the Emperor Constantine in the early fourth century they were built in large numbers near the traditional basilicas.
Released iconoclastic controversy in the middle of the ninth century begins the second heyday of the empire, when the Greek became its official language, and Christianity began to spread north into the Slavic lands.
Culture Byzantine middle period demonstrated a few examples of secular architecture that have survived to our time, but in the literature contains stories about the construction and reconstruction of the Great Palace of Constantinople, based on new imperial and aristocratic estates.
first major monastery, which became one of the most important centers of Byzantine Christianity, was built on Mount Athos (Greece).
In the middle Byzantine period more and more for the decoration of churches use the icons with different compositions.
Latin occupation (1204-1261), when members of the Fourth Crusade, invading the ancient imperial capital, founded the Latin Empire of Constantinople, had a profound influence on the Byzantine peoples.It caused serious political differences, disorientation of the population, especially among the ruling classes.New political capital of the Byzantine State "in exile" with competing rulers were based on the periphery of the Empire: the city of Arta, in Trabzon, at Nicaea.Restoration of Byzantine rule over the imperial city was in 1261 with the accession of the new ruling dynasty - Palaeologus.
Byzantine culture flourished especially in the later period, despite many desperate military and political circumstances in which turned out to be its rulers.Patrons at all social levels considered it their duty to build new buildings and restore old, who suffered during the Latin occupation.More
a long time before his fall in 1453, the Byzantine Empire sets the standard of beauty, style and luxury.And then still continues to inspire both the Catholic West and the Islamic East.
