Medieval Europe: Byzantine cultural identity?

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Byzantine cultural identity?

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Medieval Europe
Forum Discription: The Middle Ages: AD 500-1500
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14267
Printed Date: 09-Jun-2024 at 17:24
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.56a - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Byzantine cultural identity?

Posted By: gramberto
Subject: Byzantine cultural identity?
Date Posted: 24-Aug-2006 at 23:34

1. Did people who lived under the Byzantine emporer culturally identify with the state? For example when Rome conquered an area people eventually started taking on Roman customs and culture.

2. Was there a distinct byzantine culture other than eastern orthodox Christianity?

3. How culturally 'greek' was Byzantium other than the language?

Replies:

Posted By: Herschel
Date Posted: 25-Aug-2006 at 12:34

1. Not always. Large parts of Armenia were annexed in the 11th century, but a seperate Armenian ethos existed even within the empire. Their religion, customs, and language were all different; the only unifying link was that the existed under Eastern Christianity and had shard closer borders for thousands of years.

2.) Yes, a very influential culture that was spread across Europe and the Middle East. Travel to Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy and tour its most famous church for a taste of its architecture. Chech out Charlemagne's grace to see a beautiful Byzantine silk outfit, some of the best Europe had ever seen.

3.) Byzantium was immensely Greek in culture with significant outside influence. It became increasingly Greek after the 12th century, though.

Posted By: gramberto
Date Posted: 25-Aug-2006 at 15:47

did byzantium have much roman culture after say 600 AD?

also, the byzantinse always referred to themselves as Romans right? If not, what did they call themselves?

Posted By: Byzantine Emperor
Date Posted: 26-Aug-2006 at 02:48

Originally posted by gramberto

1. Did people who lived under the Byzantine emporer culturally identify with the state? For example when Rome conquered an area people eventually started taking on Roman customs and culture.

There was a certain period of time where the newly conquered peoples were actively "Byzantinized" by the imperial government. Missionaries were sent from the Orthodox church and Hellenized populations were transferred from elsewhere.

Population transfer was a key Byzantine policy all the way to the end of the Empire. It enabled the government to pacify "barbarian" peoples by detaching them from their former homes and from the borderlands. They were given jobs (often non-specialized military ones like rowers), or they were enlisted as official imperial mercenaries, not just supplemental mercenaries.

Originally posted by gramberto

2. Was there a distinct byzantine culture other than eastern orthodox Christianity?

What do you mean by "other than Eastern Orthodox Christianity"?

The Byzantines considered themselves first Orthodox Christians, and second Romans. Often the two were synonymous. To be Orthodox was to be Roman, and vice versa. So Orthodox, Roman, and Greek-speaking was there culture pretty much.

Originally posted by gramberto

3. How culturally 'greek' was Byzantium other than the language?

I agree with Herschel's answer. Byzantium inherited the Roman institution of government and military, the Hellenistic cultural and linguistic characteristics, and the Christian religion. After steadily losing its territory, Byzantium also lost much of the Armenian and Syrian influences it had in the early and middle periods. It became a "Balkan Commonwealth," to use Obolensky's term, intensely Greek in culture, but still retaining some of its Roman provincial form of government. We can, however, see some outside influence from the Western Europeans and the Turks in the late period, especially in the Byzantine army.

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