We explain what the Byzantine civilization was and how it originated. In addition, what are its main characteristics.
What was Byzantine civilization?
Byzantine civilization was the culture that developed in the Roman Empire of the East, between 395 and 1453 d. C. Before the fall of the Roman Empire of the West in 476 d. C., Byzantine civilization was constituted as the heiress of the Roman cultural tradition during the Middle Ages.
For more than a millennium, the Roman Empire of the East (also called by the historians “Byzantine Empire”) remained united and produced an own political and cultural tradition that differentiated him from the ancient Roman Empire. Byzantine culture was also influenced by the Greek tradition and other cultural traditions of the Middle East.
Among its main characteristics are The use of Greek as an official languagethe creation of an orthodox church as a Christian branch independent of the western tradition and the exaltation of the power of the emperor.
In the architectural and artistic aspect, the city of Byzantium was constituted as a cultural capital throughout the region. He stood out for adapting Roman constructions and grant them new uses and their own decorative style. Hagia Sophia cathedral is one of the characteristic architectural expressions of Byzantine architecture.
See also: Babylonian civilization
Characteristics of Byzantine civilization
- He built an empire that occupied Anatolia, Greece and territories in the Italian and Iberian Peninsulas, between 395 and 1453 d. C.
- It was constituted as the heiress of the Roman Empire throughout the Middle Ages.
- He developed a rich culture marked by the Roman legacy, the Greek tradition and Christianity.
- He had a history marked by periods of boom and decline of imperial power combined with the constant stalking of the borders.
- He created the Orthodox Church as an independent branch within Christianity.
Geographic location of Byzantine civilization
The city of Byzantium, axis of the Byzantine civilization, was located in the western part of the Bosphorus Strait. It is currently known as Istanbul and is the capital of Türkiye.
The Byzantine Empire covered, during much of its history, the territories of the current countries of Türkiye and Greece. In some periods it came to include parts of the Italian peninsula, the south of the Iberian Peninsula and part of Egypt.
History of Byzantine civilization
Between the 5th and 10th centuries. C., the Byzantine civilization crossed political, economic and cultural transformations that led to differentiate it from the ancient Roman Empire and turned it into a different civilization, with its own tradition and identity.
- Centuries v and vi d. C. This period marked the splendor of the Roman Empire of the East (as opposed to the disintegration of the Roman Empire of the West with Capital in Rome, from 476 AD). The reign of Justinian I (527-565 AD), maximum expression of this period, was marked by the strength of public institutions, territorial expansion, economic prosperity and cultural diversity. However, after his reign, the difficulty of maintaining political unity with the West was clear.
- VII century d. C. Byzantine life was marked by a crisis that deeply affected the structures of the empire. Islamic peoples occupied the eastern provinces of the Empire and the need for military investment was revived. The central state authority weakened and began a serious impoverishment process of the peasantry, which worsened with the greatest needs of tax collection. The imperial dynasty initiated with the Heraclitus government (610-641 AD) decreased its contacts with the west and worried, instead, because of the invasions that attacked its eastern border. The Heracliana dynasty sought to maintain three primary elements of Justinian policies: public law, wealth and preponderance of the city of Byzantium as capital and a model of autocratic and sacralized imperial imperial government.
- VIII centuries and IX d. C. At the end of the crisis period, the Byzantium Empire was deeply modified: with smaller dimensions, a strengthened military structure, a coherent government administration, the development of the rural world to the detriment of urban and Greek as a predominant cultural language and tradition. In addition, Byzantium lived a process of religious restructuring. In the dispute for the use and power of images between the iconoclasts and iconodules, the deep links that linked to political and religious powers were glimpsed.
- 10th century d. C. Towards the end of the previous century, the Macedonian dynasty was imposed. Under his command, Byzantium lived what is known as “Second Age of Byzantine Gold”: a stage of internal political and social consolidation and cultural apogee. The imperial authority was strengthened, urban centers were revived and the great Christian monasteries appeared, which were constituted as powerful feudos. In addition, diplomatic ties with the Bulgarian and Slavic cultures of the north of the Empire were reoriented.
- XI and XII centuries d. C. In this period Byzantium had a population growth in the rural world, which allowed an increase in production and a slight but constant improvement of the economy and commercial exchanges. In addition, it was marked by the Political and Military Alliance with the powers of the West, in order to recover lost territories from Anatolia. This gave rise to the crusades, Western conquest campaigns in oriental territories. On the other hand, local aristocracies benefited from contacts with the West through the Latin merchants of Venice and Genoa, and enjoyed an enrichment that allowed them to reposition themselves to the imperial state and impose themselves as lords on the peasantry.
- 13th century d. C. Western powers sought to impose themselves on Byzantium, and in 1204 they took Constantinople. For more than half a century, what is known as Romaniae partition (“Partition of the Roman Empire”): The imperial territories were divided between different powers. In 1261, Miguel VIII Paleologist reconquered the capital and reunited part of the Empire, although it was deeply weakened.
- XIV and seventeenth centuries d. C. This last stage was marked by the attempts to restore imperial power. However, the borders were continually besieged by Ottomans and Serbs, and trade seriously affected by the predominance of Venice and Genoa. On the other hand, state power suffered with the decrease in tax collection. Religious powers and great landowners obtained greater control of land and different feudal privileges. Finally, the weakened imperial power could not cope with the Ottoman invasion and in 1453 d. C. lost its capital, Constantinople.
Byzantine civilization society
Given its privileged location, Byzantium It was a point of cultural and ethnic convergencecharacterized by an extremely varied population. The Byzantines identified at the same time with their Greek Hellenic tradition, their Roman citizenship and their Christian religion.
In the cities the local high classes inhabitedwhich were linked to imperial power, trade and land possession. In addition, they were populated by all those people who did not dedicate themselves to rural production: specialized artisans, merchants, merchants, ex officio personnel, etc.
The majority of the population lived in rural areas. The economic inequality among the peasants increased throughout Byzantine history. The high -class landowners, who were linked to the local powers of the cities and the imperial court, managed to obtain privileges and avoid the payment of taxes. The bulk of the contributions fell to the rest of the peasants, who worked on their own small plots, leased plots of other owners or worked in exchange for the payment of a day.
You may be interested: Hellenistic period
Byzantine culture
Byzantine culture It was marked by the inheritance of three cultural traditions: The Roman, the Greek and the Christian.
The Roman tradition expressed itself in the organization of institutions and in the relevance of the publicof what belongs to all citizens and that refers to the state unity that allows the coexistence of different peoples and cultures within the empire.
Since the disintegration of the Roman Empire of the West and the creation of different Germanic kingdoms in Europe, the Byzantine Empire distanced itself from the Latin tradition. The Greek culture, part of its empire, prevailed as a prevailing tradition. The Greek became the official languageapart from being the most used by the population within the Empire. The Greek intellectual and philosophical legacy continued to develop under the amparo of Byzantium.
Another fundamental aspect of Byzantine culture was Christianity. The majority of the Byzantine population was Christian. Bishops were part of the institutional framework of imperial power. The Patriarch of Constantinople (one of the five ecumenical bishops of the organization of the Christian Church of the time) was chosen directly by the Byzantine emperor.
These cultural legacies combined and gave rise to their own Byzantine identity, which was expressed with different artistic, architectural and literary styles.
Religion of Byzantine civilization
The religion prevailing in the Byzantine Empire was Christianity. The patriarch of Constantinople was one of the five ecumenical bishops of the primitive organization of the Christian Church, called Pentarchy (together with the patriarchs of Rome, Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria).
Before the fall of the Roman Empire of the West, The Patriarch of Constantinople imposed itself as the main reference of Christianity. However, for several centuries the preponderance of a bishop on the rest was axis of power disputes.
Towards the eleventh century, what is known as “the Great Schism” of Christianity was given: the churches of the East and West were officially excluded as separate institutions. The Eastern Church took the name of Orthodox Church. The Byzantine faithful considered that their religious practice was closer to the original Christian doctrine. Over time, the Orthodox Christian tradition was taking traits of the Slavic cultures and became more and more different from the Western Christian tradition.
Byzantine civilization economy
The economy of Byzantine civilization crossed different stages of growth and deterioration. These advances and setbacks were linked to the political, social and, especially military context.
The imperial economy was based on Tax collection, trade and care of agricultural production. The majority of tax collection was destined to the maintenance of the army.
In the commercial aspect, Byzantium occupied a fundamental place in the mercantile networks of the time since it joined the West with the Middle and Far East. He developed routes that connected North Africa and Southern Europe with India and China. The main products that were traded were wheat (which served as a food base for the majority of the population) and luxury goods (such as spices, silks and jewels).
Political organization of Byzantine civilization
The Byzantine political system It was organized around the figure of the Basileuswhich in Greek meant “king”. Basileus’s succession was conflictive throughout Byzantine history, since it should be legitimized between different powers of society: the aristocracy, the army and the representatives of the people.
Besides, As the power of the Christian church growing, Basileus obtained a sacred character. He dressed in purple and foreigners had to kneel before him to demonstrate his respect. The Emperor’s powers extended on the different aspects that influenced Byzantine society: the state administration, the army, the economy and religion.
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References
- Chrysos, E. (2004). The Byzantine Empire 565-1025 (Vol. 21). Editorial Icaria.
- TREADGOLD, W. (2001). Brief History of Byzantium. Paidós Iberian editions
- Maier, F. (1987). Byzantium. 21st century
- Patlagean, E., Ducellier, A., Asdracha, C., Mantran, R. (2003). History of Byzantium. Critical Editorial.
