The Hagia Sophia which is the place of worship located in Constantinople, is one of the most prestigious churches of history. The dome of this Cathedral is made out of all gold and with a height of 180 feet ("Byzantium (330-1453”). The geographic features of the Byzantine Empire had helped them become a prestigious empire throughout their reign. With three bodies of water surrounding them,it allowed easy access for trade and transportation of materials and soldiers throughout their land.The Bosphorus Strait, a waterway connecting to the Black Sea, allowed trade to occur with many other civilizations, such as Russia and China. Since the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, was located on this waterway it allowed wealth to come into the city, and let cultural diffusion to take place. There are many geographic features that has impacted the development of the Byzantine Empire. The capital of this vast empire, Constantinople was located on a strait called the Bosphorus, “ a narrow connection between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea” (Wood 177). This allowed trade and wealth to come into the city, making it one of the most powerful empires in history. With three bodies of water surrounding this empire, they were able to transport materials and troops throughout their lands. Along the shores of the Bosphorus strait, it was dense with trees which allowed them for the use of building and fire wood (Kayaalp). The Bosphorus strait had a width of 2.3 miles and depth
The Roman Empire influenced the Byzantine Empire’s culture, mainly through the religion of Christianity. Christianity first appeared in the Roman Empire, with the birth, teachings, and supposed resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the beginning years of it’s arrival, Christianity was not tolerated and Christians were mainly, and most often brutally prosecuted. However, with Constantine’s Edict of Milan, Christianity was officially tolerated, and under Theodosius, it became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Byzantine Empire inherited this relatively new religion, continuing to follow the beliefs and traditions of the church, as well as spreading the word of Jesus Christ and the message of god. Churches sprung up in the empire, such as the mighty Hagia Sophia. Located in Constantinople and built by Justinian, this church especially exemplified
Religion has played a huge role in the history of the world of architecture. We can get a deeper look in the minds and attitudes of people when we look at their beliefs – specifically their religion. But even though religion played a huge role in the approach to architecture, the pursuit of beauty and power can also explain to us the approaches and the outlooks of those who built or designed buildings from the ancient world.
The geography of the Byzantine Empire is quite a lot. I find that Constantinople was located on a peninsula, and it was surrounded by harbors. So, we could infer that they chose to change the capital of the Byzantine Empire in order to get protection. So, you can understand that the Byzantine Empire was located near the eastern frontier for more protection. Plus, if Document A very closely, you could see a map of the Byzantine Empire in 1050. During 1050, you could tell there was a spot
of people and the major beliefs of the society. Hagia Sophia and the Dome of the Rock are two
The Byzantine Empire needed the metal to create an economy and many products. The route kept on expanding to be a more traditional trade route of the Silk Road between Europe and the Middle East. The camel caravans and oases were the primary modes of transportation to make it possible for the buyer and seller to communicate about the product and slave. The camels were perfectly suited to the travel through the Sahara from moving for extended periods of time and carrying heavy packages. The transportation also helped cultural exchange between Africans and Arabs. The Trans-Saharan trading enriched the African kingdoms beyond what would have been possible without it.
All the same, the Hagia Sophia was a Greek orthodox Christian patriarchal basilica which was later change into an imperial mosque after Turkey was conquered, and now a museum
The Byzantine Empire and Western Europe originally were part of the Roman Empire, but by the middle Ages(medieval times), they were very different, even though they did share some common traits, but by the 300's, the Byzantine Empire had far surpassed Western Europe in trade and economics and political unity, while both empires were having arguments over religion.
There were good things about being a seafaring civilization. As the Ancient Greeks migrated to the coast of the Mediterranean, and Black Seas, they were able to put all of their energy into maritime trade, eventually making them dominant of the busiest waterway in the ancient world. (Acrobatic, 2014)
This was a strategic move for the Roman Empire because of the location Byzantium; it is situation on a peninsula, which is easily defensible. The location also had a maritime advantage, with the possibility of controlling “the strait of water leading from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and beyond to the Dardanelles, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean. In addition to the peninsula and maritime significance, they had access to rich and fertile lands of
There are things scientists can't explain such, as the supernatural. Supernatural is unreal to most except to the superstitious. Supernatural is manifestations beyond the normal. It doesn't fit what our society thinks is ordinary. Whether you believe it or not, it still attracts our attention.
Words are one of the most powerful ways we communicate with each other. Words have the incredible ability to inspire, motivate, and persuade. It also has the ability to do just the opposite; discourage, dismiss, and dissuade. One way we see manipulating words today is through advertising, in which uses pictures or words to achieve one goal; sales. However, this has happened throughout the course of history, perhaps not all on television, but through newspapers , books , and even speeches. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, is no exception and in fact a great example. Although, this book doesn’t try to use its context to persuade the audience, it does contain within the novel an immense amount of history, in which introduces a plethora of scenes
Let's take you back in time on December 27, 537 AD the ornate hagia sophia is getting ready for the opening night. Everyone was engrossed by the decoration and food. On the other hand, the Hagia Sophia is filled with mosaics, crosses, alabaster jars , narthex decorations, and many galleries. Accordingly , the Hagia Sophia crown dome stands 180 feet above the floor. The resolute builders finished the hagia sophia in 6 years. Here Justinian is having his opening party where vehemently he mutilated 6,000 sheep, 1,000 oxen, 1,000 pigs, 1,000 chickens, and 500 deer.
The Byzantine Empire followed the Roman Empire, and it, also, seems meager in comparison. It had evolved from the Roman Empire, and because it was in the late stage that it was in, land had been lost, so in terms of size, the Roman Empire was superior to the Byzantine. The empire wasn t strong, either. At the start, the first ruler, Justinian, attempted to reconquer Roman lands, but in doing so, left his own land in ruins, and his conquests were lost right after his death. The Empire faced many enemies and was threatened constantly by them. Eventually, all land was lost except for the Constantinople, the rich and powerful capital city, and the land surrounding it.
The Pantheon is an iconic part of architecture, particularly in the mediterranean. Constructed in Imperial Rome, the Pantheon was an incredible piece that forever influenced the basics of architecture. A similar piece, contemporary to the Pantheon, would be the Dome of the Rock. Found in Jerusalem, the Umayyad caliph built the shrine in the seventh century to serve a function as an Islamic shrine. Being the oldest extant Islamic monument known to man, the Dome of the Rock is sacred to both the Muslim and jewish religions.While being in completely different cultures, the Pantheon and the Dome of the Rock share numerous similarities varying from their functionality to the characteristic style of the domes.
The Byzantine Empire, though often forgotten among better-known empires, such as the Roman Empire, ran for nearly one thousand years, occupying the eastern half of what once was the Roman Empire. It engaged in trade, expansion, and decades of warfare. It also gave women a better status then men, valued and preserved Greek history, and eventually fell to the Ottomans.