Byzantine Achievement
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: Byzantine Achievement
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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• Byzantine Achievement.doc
In 285 CE, the Roman Empire was divided in two by the Emperor Diocletian leading to the creation of the Eastern
and Western Roman Empires. Although, in the coming centuries, the Western Empire would struggle, before
ultimately falling into barbarian hands, the Eastern empire (today referred to as the Byzantine Empire) would
continue to exist, and thrive until its ultimate fall in 1453 CE. The success of the Eastern Empire was due to the
highly desirable trade location of the capital, Constantinople, and a powerful sense of nationalism within the
empire. Between the historic reign of Justinian and the Great Schism of 1054 CE, more specific contributions in
areas such as art, writing, and scholarship were achieved in the Empire. The contributions the Byzantine Empire
made during this time not only preserved past knowledge, but also brought new ideas and styles that would
influence first the west, and eventually, the world.
Art was a major area of achievement within the Byzantine Empire, and in no other area was more accomplished
than in the creation of Christian inspired art. A fine example is the renowned 8th century piece, the Crucifixion of
Christ, a piece that aims to display Christ as a royal figure, but also depicts his suffering and aids in teaching the
central truth of Christianity, something dearly important to the Byzantine's.i In the St. Catherine monastery in
Ravenna, monks painted stunning icons and mosaics such as the icon of Christ. In 867 CE, the Patriarch Photius
installed a grand mosaic of Mary and Jesus within the Hagia Sophia. This mosaic remains important as one of the
two dominant depictions of Mary and Jesus throughout the rest of history. Though the Byzantine's most famous
works were inspired by Christianit...
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