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Life in constantinople
Byzantine influence on the western Roman empire
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Constantinople, an exponentially influential city in the Pre-Modern era with its heavy involvement in the structure of both the Byzantine and Roman empires, its central location was a huge asset to the growth of the empires and aided the larger understanding of the world for being the major city that would spread wealth and knowledge to those who visited the city. The multitude of monuments and event spaces in the city was a large factor that enabled Constantinople to be the way it is. It was also a major religious centre with multiple changes in the major religions thus showing us the different architectural designs designated by the religion of city.
Whats in the city:
In this great now Turkish City of Istanbul lies the remnants of a great
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This puts it as the easiest passage from Europe to Asia and vice versa. It was reachable by multiple modes of transportation as well making accessible in every way. The advancement of having two port entries to the city boosted trade efficiency beyond any it has experienced before. Due to the ease of movement, it gradually became a natural trade hub and has continued to be ever since. Another great aspect of having a central city the influence of different cultures and ideas pushed the ways that science was perceived and was a major site of discovery and …show more content…
It has its holds on all reaches of the earth in many different ways and Constantinople has been affected by these religions and the changes that take place with the change of empires and the modification of the city. A prime example of the adaptation in religion in the city that can be found today would be the Hagia Sophia and its Islamic spires that envelop the once cathedral and with the placements of the spires there gained a transformation of religion from the Eastern Orthodox Christians to the Islamic without harming the architecture and simply adding beauty to capture the meaning of
Two of the most powerful powers in the post-classical period were the Arabian and Byzantine empires. Each had different political, religious, and economic differences that defined their respective cultures, and managing to create vast empires that greatly rivaled each other.
Did Justinian impact life as we know it because he is such a great ruler, or is he just a follower who keeps trying to hold on to the loose threads of a fallen empire? Some might say that without Justinian, humanity is a step further back. Others may argue evermore that Justinian is a two-faced liar who you cannot trust (Doc. 2). Contrary to many beliefs, Justinian creates a new Byzantine Empire after the fall of Rome that is influential to many different cultures, more advanced and educated than Rome, and more economically thriving than the Roman Empire.
Theodora’s story starts with a distinctive start. Her father was a bear trainer that worked in the Hippodrome in Constantinople and she grew up in the entertainment spotlight (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 355, 2009). She was a mime and when she was older, she became an actress (Koeller, 1996). So, she not only lived in a circus, she also became a child star. Who would not want her childhood? But, back in that day, an actress was not a highly looked upon career for a women, therefore the term ‘actress’ was interchanged with ‘prostitute’ (Koeller, 1996). So, it might not have been the best...
The Hagia Sophia is a stunning, spherical-shaped building made of marble and gold (Doc. 4). Justinian built the Hagia Sophia, which means “Holy Wisdom” in Greek, after a church of the same name was destroyed in riots in Constantinople (outside information). Procopius, Justinian’s court historian, described the church as “suspended from heaven by the fabled golden chain” (Doc. 4). Undoubtedly, visitors to the Hagia Sophia are left breathless by its beauty (outside information). Other churches that Justinian built include the Church of St. Salvator in Chora and the Church of the Apostles (Doc. 5). Justinian’s churches were beautiful; however, they were created to be more than just a display. The churches caused people to feel a connection with God, which helped unify the empire under a single faith. The bonding of the Romans under one faith helped strengthen the entire empire. Moreover, the abundance of churches in Constantinople helped make the city the center of religious power (Doc. 5). Evidence of Justinian’s legacy can be found when one realizes that the Byzantine Empire’s revived culture influenced Orthodox Christianity, a major branch of modern
Roman Emperor Constantine I founded the Byzantine Empire in 330 CE as a continuation of the Roman Empire in the east. The characteristics of the empire led to the modern definition of “Byzantine,” which means “strangely complicated.” This was true, as in the Byzantine Empire was very chaotic, complex, and strange at times, but it was very massive and influential worldwide. The empire heavily influenced modern religion, laws, and engineering making it worthwhile learning about the empire.
The Hagia Sophia and the Dome of the Rock are two of some of the greatest and most important monuments in the Eastern and the modern world. The Hagia Sophia is an amazing depiction of the Byzantine architecture. It symbolizes the “Golden era” of the Byzantine Empire and is a symbol of modern day Istanbul. The Dome of the Rock is located in Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is currently a shrine for Islamic believers and some Jews that believe the grounds are sacred. It holds a great religious significance to the rise of Islam in Jerusalem. Even though these major achievements in architecture were built at different times and were built with different styles, they hold many similarities. These similarities include such fascinating examples of
Much of past civilizations have endured many failures and triumphs throughout their existence. In the third century, there were many civilizations that started to flourish. One of these civilizations that started to expand was the Byzantine civilization. The Byzantine civilization, also regarded as Byzantium, was part of the Roman Empire which was divided in 395 AD. Byzantium had shared the same attitude, as the Roman Empire, toward exercising its authority over its citizens and throughout its empire. The Islamic civilization had started thrive in the fifth century. The Islamic civilization was unified together as unison by Islam and it has expanded its civilization throughout parts of Europe through jihad. Because of their expansions throughout parts of Europe, they shared various similarities which include their political system, social structure, and economy.
When Emperor Constantine found the city of Constantinople, it was soon to become the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. But the Christin city needed a great church to represent it’s great value, so the Hagia Sophia was built (Krystek, Lee). The Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine Empire in 537 C.E., which was an Empire influenced greatly by the greek and roman styles (Krystek, Lee). It has a square base with a large dome on the top. Round arcs surrounded the large dome, adding mystical beauty to the Hagia Sophia (Krystek, Lee). Also, multiple colors of bricks were used to create patterns on the outside of the Hagia Sophia. On the inside, the walls are made of marble with glass panes which bring beautiful sunlight into the large museum (Krystek, Lee). The Hagia Sophia is very significant because it was rebuilt many times. The first church was built and then burnt down in 404 C.E. (Krystek, Lee). It was then rebuilt and burned down by riots in 502 C.E. (Krystek, Lee). Then the 3rd church was built by Justinian. After long periods of time, Sultan Mehmed conquered Constantinople and changed it to an islamic city, converting the church to a mosque (Krystek, Lee). In 1934, President Ataturk changed the mosque to a museum for the people and tourists, instead of a sacred place of worship (Krystek, Lee).
Justinian was one of the most influential rulers of Byzantium. When he came into power in 527 AD, he inherited a civilization in disarray. Justinian had a positive impact on the Byzantine Empire. Most notably, he introduced an improved set of laws and conquered many surrounding nations, nearly restoring the former glory of the Roman Empire. In addition to these contributions, Justinian also made advances with the Christian Church and Byzantine architecture.
The Ottoman Empire were Muslims and included Hungary, Syria, Egypt, Bulgaria, and Albania, and they marched on land. The Ottoman Empire is said to have first appeared somewhere around the 1300’s, and can be related to the decline of the Byzantine Empire. They began conquering Christian lands and by the late 1600’s all Christians were afraid of the “terrible Turk”. It is no wonder that many other people were afraid of the Ottoman Empire since they seem to be really rather powerful and they conquered a lot of land. It was in the 1330’s when the Morroccan Abu Abdallah Ibn Battuta passed through Constantinople and became impressed with the Ottomans who seemed to be gaining power rather quickly, he noticed that they had close to 100 forts and
The Pantheon (Rome) and the Hagia Sophia (Constantinople) are notably two of the most notable sites in both Rome and Istanbul. Being architectural masterclasses in unique ways, the two are landmarks in terms of changing history and defining the culture of the two locations.
During the 1500’s, there were countless fierce and prosperous cities around the world. However, the question that lies between if a city is truly victorious is whether or not it is a
By the time the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453, the Byzantine Empire had collapsed completely. The Hagia Sophia was originally constructed as a Byzantine church but was used as a mosque during the time of the Ottomans. This change occurred when Constantinople fell to invading Ottoman forces. “Interior of Hagia Sophia,” an image found in Constantinople by Talbot Rice, depicts the inside hall of the impressive structure. It shows the building’s huge domes, decorated pillars, many light fixtures, and plates containing Arabic phrases. The domes and structure were especially inspirational to the Ottomans. According to Rachel Milstein, author and Doctor of Philosophy, “Following the conquest, with the church of Hagia Sophia in close sight, the central domes grew larger and higher and covered a more unified internal space” (Milstein). The Hagia Sophia inspired the Ottomans to build bigger and better domes for their mosques. They wanted to improve the architecture of the city and show that they were the most technically and artistically advanced. Byzantine architecture had a major influence on that of the Ottomans, encouraging the latter to improve and expand on existing concepts and designs. Without the Hagia Sophia, the structures of the past would be far less grand. This kind of cultural crossover drives innovation in the way of
Venice was a powerful city state particularly in the 13th to 17th centuries. Its power and wealth came from trade and the sailing skills
Istanbul is primarily known for its Byzantine and Ottoman architecture which can be seen all throughout the city. Its buildings and structures reflect the various peoples, cultures and empires that once have previously ruled the city. Istanbul is even much older than the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire surfaced around 324 AD - 1453. For this reason, there are lots of historical museums which stores unique artifacts dating back to the Byzantine era, many churches and historical buildings can be seen throughout the city. It also has many beautiful and historical palaces that can be visited by native countrymen and tou...