In John Skylitzes’ A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811-1057, there is no shortage of mentions of women in and around the happenings and imperial proceedings at the palace in Constantinople. This paper examines the view of women in Byzantium that can be understood from reading A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811-1057, focusing exclusively on the years 867-1025. Before an examination of the Synopsis can be done, it must be acknowledged that Skylitzes clearly expresses in his foreword that his work is “a summary, that is, which will provide them [future readers] with a brief overview of what has taken place at various times and thus free them of the need to consult massive tomes of memoirs.” His work is upfront in saying it is not an in depth …show more content…
look at Byzantium, which must be noted when examining this work closely. This paper is set up in three major parts. The first is what is observable about women in the Synopsis. The second is an analysis of what the observable means. The third is what is missing from this account. Looking at women through the lens of John Skylitzes’ A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811-1057, modern interpreters are shown a Byzantine world where women are seen as both irrelevant and dangerous, with few exceptions. Women in the Synopsis When examining Skylitzes work there are three prominent themes that are always present when women are mentioned: marriage, children, or participation in a malevolent act. The most mentions of women in Skylitzes’ Synopsis are in relation to marriage and wifedom. Specifically if a woman is only mentioned once, it almost always because she was married for political purposes. This is true for Romanos Lekapenos daughter Agatha. “That was the year in which emperor Romanos made Leo Argyros his son-in-law by marriage to his daughter, Agatha.” Agatha is not mentioned before or after. Junior emperor Christopher’s daughter Maria is only mentioned in her marriage to Peter, a Bulgarian chieftain, which occurs in order to create peace among the Romans and the Bulgars. The only description of her is, “she was indeed of outstanding beauty.” The only action she takes is departing for her new home in Bulgaria. Romanos’ son Stephen marries a woman named Anna. The passage reads,”Anna, the daughter of Gabala, to his son Stephen and invested in her with the imperial diadem at the same time as she received the marriage crown.” Anna is not mentioned before or after this reference. Then there is Helen and Theophano who both married Romanos’ son Constantine. Only a description of their family backgrounds is given. Leo VI’s first wife Theophano is only mentioned twice. Her first mention is in the description of Leo’s reign when he promotes Stylianos Zaoutzes, Leo’s mistress at this time Zoe’s father, “though the woman to whom he was legally married, the augousta Theophano, was still alive.” She is only mentioned again after dying, but in relation to another description, “after the augousta Theophano died…” Leo VI’s third wife Eudokia is summed up in two sentences: “He married a beautiful and gracious maiden from the Opsikion theme named Eudokia and crowned her too. She was expecting and about to give birth to a child when both she and the embryo died.” Zoe Karbonopsina, who would in later years be an influential part of Byzantine history, is introduced simply. “The emperor Leo took a fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, who lived with him some considerable time uncrowned.” Basil I’s wife is mentioned just twice. Her first mention talks about how her marriage to Basil was arranged and described her as “a woman who exceeded all other women of her age in physical elegance, beauty, and sobriety. She was the daughter of Inger, renowned for his astuteness and nobility, a scion of the house of the Martiniakoi.” These accounts of women getting married make up the majority of women’s presence in Skylitzes’ text. The second major theme that is present when women are mentioned is in relation to their children. Basil I’s wife is only mentioned twice, the second time is when Basil’s eldest son Constantine dies, and Basil is described as suffering “with quiet dignity, even comforting his wife and children.” Theophano, wife to both Romanos II and Nikephoros II, is most prominent in Skylitzes’ Synopsis when the church claims that Nikephoros had been one of Theophano’s children's godfather. This was a scandal and the patriarch Polyeuktos told Nikephoros he had to either separate from Theophano or stay away from the church. Eventually though the church clergy decided the law banning marriage to the godparent of one’s children “need not be observed.” Children’s request to return their mother’s from exile occur twice in the period examined. First with Zoe Karbonopsina, who had been exiled by her late-husband’s brother Alexander. Her return occured because “Constantine was constantly complaining and calling for his mother.” The second time was with Theophano by her sons Basil II and Constantine VIII, who “as soon as the right to rule had passed to the sons of Romanos II, the president sent messengers speeding to bring their mother back from exile and into the palace.” Women being defined and their importance being tied through their relation to their children is a standard reason for their being mentioned in Skylitzes’ Synopsis. The last major category of women being mentioned is when they are involved in malevolent acts. The second mention of Romanos II’s wife Theophano by Skylitzes is when Romanos poisons his father Constantine VII which he did with, “the full knowledge of his wife, the innkeeper’s daughter [Theophano].” When Constantine VII became senior emperor after Romanos was expelled from the palace, he had to decide what to do about Romanos’ sons. Skylitzes writes, “his [Constantine’s] wife, Helen, strongly encouraged him to depose the brothers.” Helen’s father was also Romanos, meaning she encouraged her husband to banish her own brothers. Constantine is also described as a uncaring and indifferent ruler which, “Helena, his wife was much engaged in this,” and was “responsible for the buying and selling of offices.” Zoe Zaoutzes, while not directly accused by Skylitzes of poisoning her first husband, does write that she went right back to Leo VI after her husband was “treacherously poisoned.” Once Zoe dies, Skyzlites writes that on her body, “they found an incised inscription which read: ‘Daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery.’” Zoe Karbonopsina is finally exiled for good by Romanos after she “was accused of plotting against the life of Romanos too. She was expelled from the palace and tonsured at St Euphemia’s monastery.” Through these examples it can be seen that women’s third major reason for being mentioned in Skylitzes’ Synopsis is for their knowledge of or participation in malevolent acts. There are outliers from the three themes of marriage, children, and malevolent acts.
The two major examples from the period examined are Danielis and Zoe Karbonopsina. Danielis is a woman Basil I encounters when he is traveling in the Peloponnese with his master Theophilos before he was emperor. While there, a monk randomly greats Basil as if he is an emperor and disrespects Basil’s master. Danielis, described as “ranked first in that region, by both her way of life and her high-birth,” heard the story of the monk’s behavior and knowing he had the power of “foretelling the future,” asked the monk why he acted so. The monk told her Basil would one day be Emperor and those chosen by God should be revered. This causes Danielis to summon Basil and gift him considerable favors and gifts, the only thing she requested in return was that he formal bond with take her son. Basil agrees and also promises Danielis that if he does become emperor he would make her “mistress of all that area.” Years later, once Basil is emperor, he has kept his word in having a bond with Danielis’ son, who was a protopatharios, and sends for Danielis to come to Constantinople. When she arrives after being “carried in relays by three hundred strong young servants of her choosing,” Basil holds a reception for her in the Manguara, which is usually reserved for very distinguished guests. The last description of Danielis is when she visits Leo VI once he is emperor and names him heir to all her worldly goods. In Synopsis, Danielis is not defined through her marriage, her children, or through participation of a malevolent act. Danielis has agency, something few women in Synopsis exercise and she uses it for purposes that are not murder or seizing power. Danielis is the true outlier of all of the women reviewed in this paper as she is a relevant and revered woman, who acts on her own accord for purposes that are not outright evil. Danielis’ unique status is more than likely a result of the fact that she
is a work of fiction, created to establish a legitimate source for Basil I’s immense wealth he received from Michael III. Yet her inclusion tells modern interpreters that this could not have been so outlandish to Skylitzes’ contemporaries that it would have been farcical. The second of the two notable outliers is Zoe Karbonopsina. Karbonopsina was Leo VI fourth and last wife and mother to Constantine VII. When Alexander died and Constantine inherited the throne, the empire was ruled by regents for a time, until Constantine complained for his mother so much, those in command “brought her back in, against their better judgment. Once she was in she seized the reins of government.” Then Zoe is described as appointing officials to posts and making military decisions. She in unsuccessful in her rule though, and when Romanos takes over “she clung to her son with shrieks and tears and moved him to feel the the compassion and pity one ought to have for his mother.” but ultimately “empress Zoe was accused of plotting against the life of Romanos too. She was expelled from the palace and tonsured at St Euphemia’s monastery.” Zoe is notable as she is the only woman in the period examined that takes control of the empire. This shows a level of agency, competency, and drive exhibited by almost no other women in the text. Yet though her seizing of the power makes her a political player in the world of imperial politics that is unmatched by any other female in the text examined, she is not as truly unique as Danielis, as Skylitzes sets up her taking of power as a malevolent act. Zoe’s taking of power is not framed as a success of an ambitious woman, but as a failure of the men around her, implied by the phrasing, that the men in charge “brought her back in, against their better judgment.” Zoe is an outlier as she makes multiple decisions for herself and is the only female to be in charge of the throne, but the framing of her rise to power as a malevolent act puts her rise to power within tone of the three main context that women can be grouped into and thus not quite out of the contextual world Skylitzes allows for women.
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.
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.
Hill, Barbara. Imperial Women in Byzantium 1025-1204: Power, patronage and ideology. New York: Longman, 1999. Print.
This paper will discuss the well published work of, Pomeroy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken, 1975. Print. Sarah B. Pomerory uses this book to educate others about the role women have played throughout ancient history. Pomerory uses a timeline to go through each role, starting with mythological women, who were called Goddesses. She then talks about some common roles, the whores, wives, and slaves during this time. Pomerory enlightens the audience on the topic of women, who were seen as nothing at the time. Men were seen as the only crucial part in history; however, Pomerory’s focus on women portrays the era in a new light.
The time is the sixth century, the place is Rome and the person is Lucretia, a woman who contributed to one of the biggest parts of Roman history: the creation of the Roman republic. The rape of the virtuous Lucretia by Sextus Tarquinius, the son of Tarquinius Superbus' (an Etruscan king) was the final straw for the Roman people and pushed them to want to change from a monarchy to a republic. From the accounts of the rape of Lucretia from ancient historians like Livy, Cicero and Dionysius, it is clear that Lucretias rape not only spurred the roman people to want to get rid of the Etruscan King and his family, but also revealed the important role of virtue in women in roman society.
Procopius, The Secret History (Byzantine). 1. What is the difference between a. and a. The document Procopius, The Secret History, is about the Byzantine society. This document was written by Procopius, a historian.
Lefkowitz, Mary R., and Maureen B. Fant. Women's Life in Greece and Rome. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2005.
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.
--- Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken Books. 1995, 2010. Kindle Edition. Location 2733 of 6360.
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 city of Byzantium was built in the seventh century and was proved to be both beneficial for Romans and Greeks. Emperor Constantine wanted to unite the Roman empire and realized the strategic importance of Byzantium upon reuniting the Empire of Rome because it was placed on the European side of Strait of Bosporus, so in 324 AD, Constantine decided to build his new capital their and named it Constantinople. Constantinople was built in the hope of reuniting the Roman Empire. Before Constantinople, the Empire was divided into two parts; Emperor Diocletian ruled the East and Emperor Constantine ruled the West. Emperor Constantine was ruthless and when an Emperor named Lucinius took complete power of the East in 313 A.D, Constantine challenged and defeated Lucinius at the Battle of Chrysopolis and became the Emperor of the whole Roman Empire. Now that Constantine was the Emperor of the whole, reunited Empire, he needed to relocate Rome’s capitol somewhere besides old Rome because the infrastructure was of the city was weak, the eco...
Women were often subjects of intense focus in ancient literary works. In Sarah Pomeroy’s introduction of her text Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, she writes, “Women pervade nearly every genre of classical literature, yet often the bias of the author distorts the information” (x). It is evident in literature that the social roles of women were more restricted than the roles of men. And since the majority of early literature was written by men, misogyny tends to taint much of it. The female characters are usually given negative traits of deception, temptation, selfishness, and seduction. Women were controlled, contained, and exploited. In early literature, women are seen as objects of possession, forces deadly to men, cunning, passive, shameful, and often less honorable than men. Literature reflects the societal beliefs and attitudes of an era and the consistency of these beliefs and attitudes toward women and the roles women play has endured through the centuries in literature. Women begin at a disadvantage according to these societal definitions. In a world run by competing men, women were viewed as property—prizes of contests, booty of battle and the more power men had over these possessions the more prestigious the man. When reading ancient literature one finds that women are often not only prizes, but they were responsible for luring or seducing men into damnation by using their feminine traits.
In the plays female sexuality is not expressed variously through courtship, pregnancy, childbearing, and remarriage, as it is in the period. Instead it is narrowly defined and contained by the conventions of Petrarchan love and cuckoldry. The first idealizes women as a catalyst to male virtue, insisting on their absolute purity. The second fears and mistrusts them for their (usually fantasized) infidelity, an infidelity that requires their actual or temporary elimination from the world of men, which then re-forms [sic] itself around the certainty of men’s shared victimization (Neely 127).
Introduction An empire is defined as a group of nations or countries governed by a single, powerful force; often an emperor or empress. The Byzantine Empire, originally known as the East-Roman Empire and also known as Byzantium, is an example of an influential civilization that significantly altered the past ways of living in order for societies today to develop in the manner that they have. The Byzantine Empire contained countless crucial elements that caused the civilization to be the intriguing society that it was. Politics were essential to the rise of the Byzantine Empire. The political structure was like that of the Romans and created much success for the Empire during its peak.
Theseus, Duke, Lord, and Governor of Athens is revered in The Knight’s Tale as a “conqueror with no greater beneath the sun than he” (Overton 738-780). This depiction certainly glorifies that of man in this time. However, Theseus wed Hippolyta who became queen as a result of such a union and was brought to Theseus’ home “in glory and with great pageantry” (Overton 738-780); this would create an ideation that Hippolyta, a Queen, representing women of the community would only be perceived in the light of property and as beauty thus portraying her and other women in what is now recognized as a negative light. Although currently women wish to be perceived in such a light that would warrant more substance than pageantry, it is understood that during the times of this story, to be seen as such was an honor bestowed upon only the most privileged.