Byzantine Civilization

The schism of the church forges the way for Byzantium in the East.

The history of Byzantium is that of constamtinople "The Queen City"and emperators Constantine.(272-337 ce}

emerged from cibil war to found New Rome, named Constantinople, on the site of Byzantium, a colony Miletus

built on strategic peninsula where Asia meets Europe.  Roman empire in severe economic and political decline,

the emperator Constantine established the trading city of bizantium as his new Eastern capital.  

Rome became a favorite target for invading barbarian hordes from the north. Rome was sacked for the first time

in eight hundred years, another grup, the vandals, sacked the city again in 455.

Roman power had disintegrated, and the Empire had been replaced by a patchwork of barbarian kingdoms>  In

the east however life flourished in the capital of Constantinople.

There, a new and influencial christian civilization took root, usually known as Bizantium Christian. Bizantin

continued for hundred of years.  Bizantine face is shown to have large eyes a long nose, and a tiny mouth. The

body is characteristically slender and weighless. 

Constantinople was also a place of elegance and splendor, with one with one of the most magnificent religious

building, ever constructed, the church of the holly wisdom or Hagia sophia, built by Justinian and Theodora

after the revolt in 532.

Byzantine Art

The Art  that his reign is referred to as the First Golden Age of Bizantine art, with Constantinople as its

artistic capital, in particular in the city of Ravenna and in the monastery of St. Catherine built by Justinian at

Mount Sinai

SanVitale Ravenna:  The architecture an mosaics of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna dated 526-47, are

especially important accomplishments of the fisrst Golden age. It is octagonal and plan a shape favored in

Constantinople and Justinian

Arts and Culture, third edition, by Janetta Rebold Benton and Robert Diyanni An introduction to the Humanities; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/byzantine.empire.; google images.