Bizans Uygarlığı Üzerine Genel Bir Değerlendirme by Engin Akyürek
The History of Constantinople, The "Queen of Cities" with Prof. Judith Herrin
THE LONG-TERM PROJECT TABULA IMPERII BYZANTINI (TIB)
Byzantium (ca. 330–1453) by Sarah Brooks
History Channel Documentary History Of The Byzantium Empire
Oxford Reference - History of Byzantium
An Overview
The separation of Byz. history into periods, like any historical periodization, is one artificially imposed by scholars. The most broadly used periodization is the tripartite division into early, middle, and late periods. This system has, however, two substantial shortcomings: first of all, it is based not on actual historical developments, but on the dubious philosophical premise that three is a magical figure; second, there is no common consensus concerning the borderlines between particular periods. The conventional system of periodization places the beginning of Byz. history either in the early 4th C. with the foundation of Constantinople by Constantine I the Great or at the end of that century with the division of the empire into Eastern and Western halves under the sons of Theodosios I, Arkadios and Honorius. There is much less agreement about what marks the end of the “early Byzantine” period (and, accordingly, the beginning of the “middle Byzantine” period); it has been variously dated to 565 (death of Justinian I), 610 (accession of Herakleios), 717 (beginning of the Isaurian dynasty), and 843 (defeat of Iconoclasm and the Triumph of Orthodoxy). For the end of the middle Byzantine period scholars have usually chosen either 1071 (battle of Mantzikert) or 1204 (capture of Constantinople by the Latins). The “late Byzantine” period is traditionally dated from 1204 (or 1261, the recovery of Constantinople by the Byz.) to 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Turks.
The following historical survey does not attempt to establish precise boundaries between periods based upon specific political events; instead, this scheme for the most part uses vaguer, approximate dates corresponding to internal developments rather than to changes imposed from without. Thus, the proposed framework represents a more elaborate periodization than the traditional tripartite division while carrying the acknowledgment that it, too, represents an artificial scheme.Period of the Late Roman Empire (4th–mid-7th C.), dubbed “Protobyzantine” by Lemerle (Agr.Hist. 1–26). The application of the term “Byzantine” to this period is debatable, since the empire of this time preserved the main features of ancient urban society and remained a Mediterranean state par excellence. The issue is further confused by the fact that some scholars refer to papyri of the 6th and 7th C. as “late Byzantine,” and that likewise the final period of Byz. rule in Syria and Palestine (6th–7th C.) may be termed “late Byzantine.”
Period of the “Dark Ages” (mid-7th C. to ca.800/850) is characterized by the crisis of ancient city life, aggravated by serious territorial losses and cultural decline. Sometimes it is called the “period of Iconoclasm,” even though the two phenomena do not fully coincide chronologically; moreover, the concept of Iconoclasm does not cover all the changes that Byz. society underwent during this time. No more fortunate is the attempt to describe this period as one of Slavic penetration into the empire, which allegedly caused an essential restructuring of the Byz. economy and administration. In the first half of the 9th C. occurred the first stages of the process of recovery and consolidation that was to characterize the next period. Age of Recovery and Consolidation (ca.800/850–1000), sometimes called the period of the “Macedonian renaissance” or of encyclopedism. The latter term is more appropriate, although it refers only to cultural developments. During this period the “classic” form of the Byz. centralized and “totalitarian” state was established, and ideological and cultural uniformity was superimposed upon society. At the end of this period Byz. launched a series of offensive wars and managed to recover some of its territory in the east and the Balkans. Period of “Westernization” and the Empire of Nicaea (ca.1000–1261) , divided into two unequal parts by the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Characteristic traits of this period are the rise of provincial towns and of a semifeudal nobility, developments that were accompanied by a cultural flowering that is here called “pre-Renaissance” (the traditional term is “Komnenian renaissance”). Byz. took substantial steps toward “westernizing” its economy, social structure, and government, and despite religious friction was close to becoming a member of the European community of feudal states. The catastrophe of 1204 seems to have had no radical impact on the economic and social development of Byz.; the political pattern changed, however, and the centralized empire was replaced by a group of independent entities (the empires of Nicaea and Trebizond, the despotate of Epiros, the Latin Empire with its vassal states).
“Empire of the Straits” (1261–1453)
Under the Palaiologan dynasty Byz. was a minor state whose territory continued to shrink under the blows inflicted by the Latins (esp. the Catalan Grand Company), Serbs, and Ottomans. The desperate situation was aggravated by socioeconomic factors—the growth of semifeudal forces, the increasing urbanization of western Europe, and the growing economic dependence of Byz. on the Italian republics of Venice, Genoa, and Pisa. The Byz. retained nevertheless the illusion of being a universal empire, while in the West national states were emerging as the dominant political form. The government and esp. the church could not reconcile their universal claims with the political realities. Byz. was unable to normalize relations with either the Turks or the West, nor could it unite the divided powers of eastern Europe to resist the Turkish onslaught.
Bibliography
G. Ostrogorsky, History of the Byzantine State (New Brunswick, N.J., 1969).Find this resource:
A. Vasiliev, History of the Byzantine Empire (Madison, Wisc., 1952). The Cambridge Medieval History, vol. 4.1–2, ed. J.M. Hussey (Cambridge 1966).Find this resource:
R. Browning, The Byzantine Empire (New York 1980). Istorija Vizantii, 3 vols. (Moscow 1967).Find this resource:
G. Weiss, Byzanz (Munich 1986).Find this resource:
L. Bréhier, Le monde byzantin, 3 vols. (Paris 1969–70). Historia tou Hellenikou ethnous, ed. G. Christophilopoulos, I. Mpastias, vols. 7–9 (Athens 1978–79).Find this resource:
A. Ducellier, M. Kaplan, et al., Byzance et le monde orthodoxe (Paris 1986).Find this resource:
D. Obolensky, The Byzantine Commonwealth: Eastern Empire, 500–1453 (London 1971).Find this resource:
C. Foss, P. Magdalino, Rome and Byzantium (Oxford 1977).Find this resource:
C. Mango, Byzantium: The Empire of New Rome (New York 1980).Find this resource:
D. Geanakoplos, Byzantium: Church, Society, and Civilization Seen through Contemporary Eyes (Chicago 1984).Find this resource:
Alexander Kazhdan
For further Information: Kazhdan, Alexander, Alexander Kazhdan, Alice-Mary Talbot, Timothy E. Gregory, Paul A. Hollingsworth, Alexander Kazhdan, Charles M. Brand, Michael J. Angold, and Alice-Mary Talbot. "Byzantium, History of." In The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. : Oxford University Press, 1991. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195046526.001.0001/acref-9780195046526-e-0864.
Book List
A Short History of the Byzantine Empire by Call Number: DF552 .S73 2014ISBN: 9781780761947Publication Date: 2014-04-28The Byzantine Empire was one of the most impressive imperial adventures in history. It ruled much of Europe and Anatolia for a remarkable eleven hundred years. From Constantine I's establishment of Byzantium (renamed Constantinople) as his capital in 324 CE, until the fall of the city to the Ottomans in 1453, the Byzantine domain became a powerhouse of literature, art, theology, law and learning. Dionysios Stathakopoulos here tells a compelling story of military conquest, alliance and reversal, including the terrifying secret of Greek fire: of a state constantly at war, but not warlike, resorting wherever possible to a sophisticated diplomacy with its neighbours and enemies. Breaking with outdated notions of Byzantium as an unchanging, theocratic state, Stathakopoulos uses the most recent research to explore its political, economic, social and cultural history. He evokes the dynamism of a people whose story is one of astonishing resilience and adaptability; and whose legacy, whether it be the bronze horses of the Hippodrome, or the very term 'Byzantine', everywhere endures.His new short history embraces individuals like Justinian I, the powerful ruler who defeated the Ostrogoths in Italy and oversaw construction of Hagia Sofia (completed in 537); his notorious queen Theodora, a courtesan who rose improbably to the highest office of imperial first lady; the charismatic but cuckolded general Belisarios; and the religious leaders Arius and Athanasios, whose conflicting ideas about Christ and doctrine shook the Empire to its core.
History and Culture of Byzantium by Call Number: DF521 .B9413 2019ISBN: 9789004339330Publication Date: 2019-11-26This compendium examines the history and culture of the Byzantine world from the foundation of Constantinople (324) to the Ottoman conquest of the city, which brought the final downfall of the Byzantine Empire (1453). A detailed 100-page introduction is followed by discussion of 15 key topics, including politics and government, people and society, legislation and legal practice, the army and navy, church and religion, nature and the environment, art and architecture, languages, literature, education and culture, medicine and music. Because the work forms part of Brill's New Pauly, particular attention is paid to aspects of continuity with the ancient world, and of innovation.
Byzantium : the empire of the New Rome by Call Number: DF521 .M36 2005ISBN: 9781898800446Examining Byzantine life from the point of view of the average citizen, a noted historian deals with language, social and economic conditions, the disappearance and revival of cities, education, monasticism, and the Byzantine literary, artistic, and architectural legacy
Byzantium and its image : history and culture of the Byzantine empire and its heritage by Call Number: DF552 .M36 1984
Byzantium. The surprising life of a Medieval Empire by Call Number: DF552 .H47 2009ISBN: 9780691143699Publication Date: 2009-09-28Byzantium. The name evokes grandeur and exoticism--gold, cunning, and complexity. In this unique book, Judith Herrin unveils the riches of a quite different civilization. Avoiding a standard chronological account of the Byzantine Empire's millennium--long history, she identifies the fundamental questions about Byzantium--what it was, and what special significance it holds for us today. Bringing the latest scholarship to a general audience in accessible prose, Herrin focuses each short chapter around a representative theme, event, monument, or historical figure, and examines it within the full sweep of Byzantine history--from the foundation of Constantinople, the magnificent capital city built by Constantine the Great, to its capture by the Ottoman Turks. She argues that Byzantium's crucial role as the eastern defender of Christendom against Muslim expansion during the early Middle Ages made Europe--and the modern Western world--possible. Herrin captivates us with her discussions of all facets of Byzantine culture and society. She walks us through the complex ceremonies of the imperial court. She describes the transcendent beauty and power of the church of Hagia Sophia, as well as chariot races, monastic spirituality, diplomacy, and literature. She reveals the fascinating worlds of military usurpers and ascetics, eunuchs and courtesans, and artisans who fashioned the silks, icons, ivories, and mosaics so readily associated with Byzantine art. An innovative history written by one of our foremost scholars, Byzantium reveals this great civilization's rise to military and cultural supremacy, its spectacular destruction by the Fourth Crusade, and its revival and final conquest in 1453.
The Oxford History of Byzantium by Call Number: DF552 .O94 2002ISBN: 0198140983Publication Date: 2002-12-05The Oxford History of Byzantium is the only history to provide in concise form, a detailed historical coverage of Byzantium from the Roman beginnings to the fall of Constantinople and assimilation into the Turkish Empire. Spectacularly illustrated with colour plates, black and white images, drawings, and maps, twelve of the world's leading Byzantine scholars present both the dramatic political history of the empire and the distinctive, everyday life of the civilization. The volume examines all areas from literature, education, beliefs and superstitions, through to monasticism, the rise of Islam and the machinery of the government.
A History of Byzantium by Call Number: DF552 .G68 2010ISBN: 9781405184717Publication Date: 2010-01-11This revised and expanded edition of the widely-praised A History of Byzantium covers the time of Constantine the Great in AD 306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Expands treatment of the middle and later Byzantine periods, incorporating new archaeological evidence Includes additional maps and photographs, and a newly annotated, updated bibliography Incorporates a new section on web resources for Byzantium studies Demonstrates that Byzantium was important in its own right but also served as a bridge between East and West and ancient and modern society Situates Byzantium in its broader historical context with a new comparative timeline and textboxes
The Byzantine Empire by Call Number: DF531 .B7 1992ISBN: 0813207541Publication Date: 1992-06-01This classic study presents the history of the Byzantine Empire from the sixth to the fifteenth century in terms of political events, art, literature, and thought. It is addressed to the general reader of history as well as to students and scholars.
History of the Byzantine State by Call Number: DF552.5 .O8113 1995ISBN: 0813505992Publication Date: 1969-12-01Succinctly traces the Byzantine Empire's thousand-year course with emphasis on political development and social, aesthetic, economic and ecclesiastical factors.
History of the Byzantine Empire : 324-1453 by Call Number: DF552 .V3 1973“This is the revised English translation from the original work in Russian of the history of the Great Byzantine Empire. It is the most complete and thorough work on this subject. From it we get a wonderful panorama of the events and developments of the struggles of early Christianity, both western and eastern, with all of its remains of the wonderful productions of art, architecture, and learning.”—Southwestern Journal of Theology
Aspects of the Mind of Byzantium by Call Number: DF521 .A52 2001ISBN: 0860788407Publication Date: 2001-08-14This volume of studies by the late Milton Anastos contains his major articles published after his previous collection appeared, along with the first publication of a portion of 'The Mind of Byzantium', Anastos's projected multi-volume survey of Byzantine intellectual history. These essays deal with the theoretical foundations of Byzantine imperial autocracy, with the formulation of Byzantine theology, and with the often contentious relations between the Churches of Constantinople and Rome. The Byzantine concept of imperial absolutism is shown to have been derived from ancient Greek philosophy and to have persisted unchanged throughout Byzantine history. Other articles focus on the theology of Basil of Caesarea, which is found to be inconsistent with orthodox doctrine in important respects. Last, the relations between the Roman Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the Byzantine period are surveyed, with emphasis on the theological and ecclesiological controversies that divided them.
Byzantium : greatness and decline by Call Number: DF531 .D42513 1957Charles Diehl's book, Byzantium: Greatness and Decline, is a classic - the standard of all Byzantine studies. It is a mordantly vivid and detailed piece of scholarly work. Concise and well written, the material presented is so organized, dense, and thorough that it has somewhat of a textbook.
The Byzantine Achievement by Call Number: DF531 .B9 2010ISBN: 9781604190267Publication Date: 2010-05-16Robert Byron believed that the summit of ancient Greek civilization was not to be found in 5th century B.C.E. Athens, but in post-classical Byzantium, also called Constantinople by the Romans. Byzantine civilization was truly glorious, as we see by looking through Byron's fresh eyes. Byron was a brilliant writer and dashing figure whose life was cut short in WWII. The introduction is by Richard Luckett, Byron's biographer.
Byzantine civilization by Call Number: DF531 .R86 1961Byzantine culture and civilization was, until the late nineteenth century, regarded prejudicially as inferior to the Greek tradition and that of the Christian West, between which it was historically poised. It has taken historians like Steven Runciman to assess the cultural achievements of Byzantium in its own terms -- to evoke its individuality and uniqueness. A major attempt of modern scholarship to define for the general reader the scope and richness of Byzantine art, society, religion, politics, customs and history.
Byzantine Style, Religion and Civilization by Call Number: DF521 .B936 2006ISBN: 9781107405899Publication Date: 2012-07-26Sir Steven Runciman's History of the Crusades (1951-4) remains widely read and influential but represents only a part of his wide-ranging, erudite and immensely readable literary activity. His early work focused on Byzantium in the tenth century (The Emperor Romanus Lecapenus) and the history of the first Bulgarian empire. Later he wrote with authority on ecclesiastical relations between the eastern and western Churches (The Eastern Schism), more generally on Byzantine culture (Byzantine Style and Civilization), with forays into medieval diplomacy (The Sicilian Vespers) and British colonial society (The White Rajahs). With a diplomatic past which informed his studies, he was the doyen of Byzantine studies in Britain. This volume of essays explores topics relevant to Sir Steven's interests, long planned in his honour by British Byzantinists of all generations, and includes a memoir of his life and a full bibliography of his work.
The Byzantines by Call Number: DF521 .U6513 1997ISBN: 0226097919Publication Date: 1997-05-01For more than a thousand years, Byzantium flourished at the crossroads of the Eastern and Western worlds. But who were the people of the first modern civilized state? What features distinguished them from earlier civilizations, and what cultural characteristics, despite their multi-ethnic origins, made them uniquely Byzantine? Through a series of remarkably detailed composite portraits, an international collection of distinguished scholars has created a startlingly clear vision of the Byzantines and their social world. Paupers, peasants, soldiers, teachers, bureaucrats, clerics, emperors, and saints—all are vividly and authentically presented in the context of ordinary Byzantine life. No comparable volume exists that so fascinatingly recovers from the past the men and women of Byzantium, their culture and their lifeways, and their strikingly modern worldview.
Byzantium Unbound by Call Number: DF504.5 .K353 2019ISBN: 9781641891998Publication Date: 2019-09-30For a civilization that preserved its existence and integrity against overwhelming odds and contributed in captivating ways to the diversity of human culture, Byzantium is strangely one of the most maligned and misunderstood civilizations of the past. The way in which history has been carved up into periods has worked to its disadvantage, and Byzantium has been artificially cut off from its Roman roots. This book proposes a long view of Byzantium, one that begins in the early Roman empire and extends all the way to the modern period. It is a provocative thought-experiment which posits Byzantium as the most stable and enduring form of Greco-Roman society, forming a sturdy bridge between antiquity and the early modern period, as well as between East and West, and which sees the ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions as flowing together. It offers a Byzantium unbound by other cultures and fields of study that would artificially cut it down to size.
The Lost World of Byzantium by Call Number: DF521 .H275 2016ISBN: 9780300223538Publication Date: 2016-10-25A fresh, concise, and accessible history of one of the medieval world's greatest empires For more than a millennium, the Byzantine Empire presided over the juncture between East and West, as well as the transition from the classical to the modern world. Jonathan Harris, a leading scholar of Byzantium, eschews the usual run-through of emperors and battles and instead recounts the empire's extraordinary history by focusing each chronological chapter on an archetypal figure, family, place, or event. Harris's action-packed introduction presents a civilization rich in contrasts, combining orthodox Christianity with paganism, and classical Greek learning with Roman power. Frequently assailed by numerous armies--including those of Islam--Byzantium nonetheless survived and even flourished by dint of its somewhat unorthodox foreign policy and its sumptuous art and architecture, which helped to embed a deep sense of Byzantine identity in its people. Enormously engaging and utilizing a wealth of sources to cover all major aspects of the empire's social, political, military, religious, cultural, and artistic history, Harris's study illuminates the very heart of Byzantine civilization and explores its remarkable and lasting influence on its neighbors and on the modern world.]]>
People and power in Byzantium : an introduction to modern Byzantine studies by Call Number: DF521 .K35 1982ISBN: 0884021033Publication Date: 1982-01-01An important contribution to the historical literature on the Byzantine empire.This book will whet the appetite of non-specialists to find out more about Byzantine society and Kazhdan has provided useful guidance on where to look.
