Constantinople

Constantinople, now Istanbul, will be extensively studied in future classrooms. Topics like, art, literature, architecture, government, and many others are unique aspects that Constantinople has to offer to modern day understanding of human kind’s ancestry. After all, it was one of the longest-lasting cities of the Western world [ETEP Gregory, Introduction pg. 1]. It was founded by Constantine in A.D 306, a man converted to Christianity, and flourished into a city that served as a beacon for…

Justinian was the emperor of the Byzantine empire after the fall of the Roman empire. The roman empire, however, was not dead in his eyes. He considered himself the last vestige of the roman empire. Under Justinian’s rule, Christianity became the only lawful religion in the Byzantine empire and it was the start of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Justinian considered his rule both spiritual and temporal. Justinian’s artistic campaign was the most effective because he was the first leader to…

Inhabitants of the Byzantine Empire, also known as New Rome, valued religious cohesion, and the previous ideal of mos maiorum was now mirrored in Orthodox Christianity’s fundamental role in New Rome. Therefore, doctrinal disputes could cause significant problems. Subsequently, emperors took an active role in them, which succeeded in furthering the significance of these disputes. This eventually led to what is known as the Iconoclast, meaning ‘breaking of images,’ in the eighth century. The…

Justinian and Theodora both started out in the lower class of society, and slowly worked their way up to emperor and empress. Justinian was a Macedonian boy who was adopted by Justin I, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Theodora was initially an actor, a profession held in low esteem by most upper class Byzantines. When Justin I died, Justinian came to power and married Theodora who became empress. They ruled the Byzantine empire from 527-565 A.D. Among most historians, Justinian is…

Image 1: Theodora and Her Attendants is a beautiful mosaic that is located in San Vitale in Ravenna. Some believe that this piece is part of a religious and political statement. The mosaic was created in 547 ca. This piece is making a statement of power. Justinian regained control of Italy and Ravenna after many years of being under anothers power. Justinian immediately reinstated Christanity as the religion of the country. In this piece Theodora is standing in front of a group of her…

This work gives us an idea of what Justinian and Theodora might actually have been like, while giving us an insight to how Procopius could have been treated and his feelings towards the royal couple. Given that Procopius waited to write this piece until Justinian had died, we can assume that he was afraid of Justinian and what kind of backlash may occur if he wrote this piece at a time where Justinian could read it. The title in itself, ‘The Secret History” is representative how Procopius felt…

The Emperor Justinian and His Attendants was made in 547 A.D by an artist who is still unknown because for the most part most of the art created during this time were unsigned. This piece is a colorful and very detailed Mosaic which highlights the Byzantine style. The Emperor Justinian and His Attendants can be found in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. This Mosaic is the most famous figure authority during the Byzantine empire. This image “depicts a centered emperor in front of many…

Cities are full of human diversity within a certain urban boundary, where people of different economic and social status share an association with each other. Istanbul is currently the biggest city and metropolitan area in Turkey. Throughout history, being located in what we can describe as the centre of the “old world”, Istanbul has been the Capital of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire, and most recently the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul is the only city in the world which is…

The First Crusade started in 1096 and ended in 1099. It began when the Byzantine Emperor Alexio I Komneos sought after military assistance from Pope Urban II because they were losing the battle against the Muslims in Turkey. The Western Church and the Byzantines were not on the best terms, and the church had no reason to help them. So, the Byzantines persuaded the church with zealous letters, and after some considerations, the church decided to assist the Byzantine Emperor in defeating the…

The Secret History was written by Procopius during his lifetime, but after his other works. This was a work written for himself and close friends, which he never intended to publish. The Secret History shows a different side to the events that happened in the Byzantine Empire. This book shows a different side to many different, well know rulers in Byzantine. Procopius portrays Antonina to be a very scandalous person with very little morals who would cheat on her husband every chance she got.…