Eastern Orthodox Civilization

The Byzantine Empire to 1453 and Russia to 1600

Eastern Orthodox Civilization

• Foundational culture of Eastern Europe and Russia

• Classical Civilization of Greece and Rome, plus Byzantine Empire and post-Great Schism Christianity

• Preserved much of the legacy of ancient Greece and Rome

Byzantine Empire

• Constantine moved capital to Bosphorus

• Later emperors adopted a regal bearing like Diocletian and unlike earlier Roman Emperors

• Germanic Invasions, then emerging Sassanids threaten Empire in East

Justinian (527-565)

• Revival of Byzantine power

• Nike Rebellion

• Corpus Juris Civilis

• General Belasarius reconquered much of Old Roman Empire

• Hagia Sophia

Justinian and Theodora

Society and Culture

• Mostly rural, peasant culture

• Soldiers were given land to settle in the Empire to promote health of agricultural economy—fear that landless would flock to the cities

• Theme system introduced in 8th century for defense and administration.

Islamic Threat to Byzantium

• Muslims attack from 673-77 but are deterred by Greek fire.

• Islamic influence gradually affects Byzantine society

• Muslims would eventually topple remnants of Byzantine state in 1453.

Leo III (717-741)

• Used Greek fire to deter Muslim invasion

• Invites Slavic settlers into empire to hold the borders and to serve in the army

• Forced baptism of Jews and Montanists

• Iconoclastic Controversy with Popes Gregory II and Gregory III

Great Schism (1054)

• Iconoclastic Controversy

• Matter of Authority—pope v. patriarch

• Theology—source of the Holy Spirit

Spread of Eastern Orthodox Civilization

• Basil II (Bulgar Slayer) pacified Avars and Bulgars in 11c.

• Cyril and Methodius Christian missionaries to Bulgars and Moravia beginning in 9th century.

• Cyrillic alphabet and Greek Orthodox Christianity to Russia

• The Cyrillic alphabet has been adapted to write over 50 different languages, mainly in Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. In many cases additional letters are used, some of which are adaptations of standard Cyrillic letters, while others are taken from the Greek or Latin alphabets.

Fall of Byzantium

• Great Schism—1054

• Battle of Manzikert—1071

• Crusades—1095

• Seljuk and Ottoman Turks

• Fall of Constantinople—1453

Spread of Eastern Orthodox Culture to Russia

• Kievan Rus

• Vladimir (980-1015) and the “conversion” of the Russians in 988

• Iaroslav the Wise (1036-1054)

• Mongol conquest

• Ivan III (1462-1505)

• Philotheus and the “Third Rome”