byzantiumcyber

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Civilization III game. I didn't win here but I got in second and managed to survive with superpower America ;).

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Why the Byzantine Empire declined after Emperor Basil II's conquests.

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A Paleologan depiction of the Annunciation.

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Archangel Ivory made in the 6th Century Byzantine Empire. Amazing art.

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Here is my article about why we need a Byzantine movie and not movies such as Gladiator II.

Why we need a Byzantine movie. – History of the Byzantine Empire

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Byzantine Art is often seen as inferior to Classical Roman or Ancient Greek art. However, much of this has to do with Giorgio Vasari in 16th Century Italy. They wanted to distinguish themselves from the Middle Ages and there was desire to emphasize Humanism which put the human at the center of narratives. As a result, the idea that art in the Middle Ages was primitive or less sophisticated was an idea made in the Italian Renaissance.

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Icon of the enthroned Virgin and Child with saints and angels, 6th century, Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.

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Mosaic of Jesus in the Pammakaristos Church in Istanbul or Constantinople.

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Constantine Presenting the City of Constantinople, 1000 AD Byzantine art.

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Artist's impression of Emperor Basil II at the Battle of Kleidon in 1014. In this battle, the Byzantine Army reached it apogee of effectiveness. The Bulgarian Empire, which had been a regional rival to the Eastern Romans, had been vanquished by the forces of Emperor Basil II. Among one of Byzantium's greatest Emperors, he brought the empire to new heights.

In the artist's impression of the Emperor, he is depicted clad in golden armor and with a shield in gold with jewels. He stands among his men, hailing his triumph over the Bulgarians.

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Another photo of Princess Olga, the eldest of the Romanov sisters.

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The Byzantine Empire and its Coins

In the Byzantine Empire, one of the most important significant aspects that attracted so many people to the capital, was its coinage. Just like in the Pagan Roman Empire, the Byzantines made sure to have the image of the Emperor and Christian symbolism to be displayed on the coins. This symbol was important in the presentation of the Byzantines as rich and powerful empire which was punching way above its weight.

Many of such coins in the early era would still have much of the emphasis on realistic images of the Emperors though it was more stylized in comparison to coins that would showcase Emperors at the height of the Empire say in the reigns of Emperor Nero or Trajan.

However, in the later eras of the Byzantine Empire, the coins become more symbolic and had less emphasis on the Emperor. Instead what you had was a focus on the Emperor simply being subordinate to the King of Kings, who was Jesus Christ. It represented a new way of approaching the ruler. He was now equal with others spiritually instead of being seen as a higher being simply because of his position as the ruler of the Empire.

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Photograph of Olga Romanov, the eldest of the Romanov sisters.

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Solidus Coin of Emperor Theophilos(829-842)

Emperor Theophilos was Byzantine Empire during the Second Iconoclasm before the victory of Orthodoxy which would settle all question on the issues of using images to represent Christians.

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Getting people interested in Byzantine History.

The best way get people interested in Byzantine history is you need to attach to the way in which consume content now. It needs to be video games and social media. I believe books are effective with people who already have an interest in history. However, those who are not interested in going through text need another way to get interested in the topic, a pathway which does not remind them of the academic aspects. That's why I think having video games represent history, while they may not get everything correct can be a great way to lure people in and get them interested in learning about what happened in their country and other nations.

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The Issue with Byzantium in Education

Generally speaking, Byzantine history is not taught in schools for many reasons. However, a big reason is because the education system is not really teaching the fundamentals which will make students understand the concentric circles of history and how they relate to many nations across the globe. I think way too many teachers are treating history as a side show and not a serious topic.