Byzantine term is used since the 19th century to describe the Eastern
Roman Empire centered in Istanbul (Constantinople) built after the
divergence of the Roman Empire. The Byzantine Empire was also known as
the Greek Empire because contrary to the Roman Empire the Byzantine
Empire was mostly influenced by Greek language and culture.
In the 3rd Century, Roman Empire reached its maximum and the increasing
difficulty of managing the whole Empire from one center (Rome) became
very hard. As a result, two emperors were chosen to manage the Empire
from Italy and Greece. But the system began soon to crumble and after
395 AD the Empire was divided in two parts with West centered at Ravenna
and East at Istanbul. A total of 88 emperors were to reign during the
course of the empire. These emperors came from various family lines. The
leading groups were from Heraclion, Phrygia, Macedonia, Commenos,
Angelos and Palaiologos. Although the Byzantine Empire began was built
on a huge territory of land inherited from the Roman Empire, they soon
lost the territories around the Northern and Eastern Mediterranean and
they became an empire only with the Aegean territory. By the time of the
collapse of the Byzantine Empire, it was only consisted of the city of
Istanbul and its immediate surrounds.
Early Christian and Byzantine art emerged from the Roman centers of
Anatolia. The architectural elements and forms as well as the ornaments
were first developed during Roman times in Asia Minor, namely in
Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Hierapolis, Side, Perge, Antioch and many other
important cities in Anatolia. The mythological motifs of Near Eastern
origin encountered in Byzantine art were partly transmitted by towns in
Eastern and Southern Anatolia.
The cultural centre of Early Christian and Byzantine art became
Istanbul, founded in AD 330 by the Emperor Constantine the Great
(Istanbul's old name Constantinople means Constantine's city in Greek).
This capital of Eastern Christendom was the most brilliant city in the
world from the 4th to the 6th centuries. Early Christian art reached its
climax in the reign of Justinian (AD 527-565). The culmination of
centralized architecture was achieved in Istanbul during this tremendous
period. Hagia Sophia, a domed basilica built between AD 532-537, is the
masterpiece of Byzantine art and constitutes one of the most important
architectural achievements in the world.
The most important change made when the Roman Empire evolved into the
Byzantine was the change in religion. While Roman Empire was
polytheistic, the Byzantines accepted Christianism. The second important
change was the change in language. The Roman Empire used a number of
languages with Latin being the dominant one. Latin was used increasingly
less after the founding of Byzantium (later Constantinople) and Greek
began to take its place as the official language.
