Babus, Emanoil, rev. Byzantium. History and Spirituality Second Edition 2010 The Byzantine Empire was a Greek-language, Oriental Christian Roman empire. Each of its characteristics is essential in order to comprehend a civilization to which we owe a major part of the ancient legacy, and which is the common ancestor of the Orthodox people. Byzantine history spans from the inauguration of the new capital city of Constantine the Great, on May 11th, 330, to its conquest by the Ottomans on May 29th, 1453. Chronologically, Byzantium succeeded the Roman Empire, and opened a new era. Even though its structure maintained a series of norms that supported the Roman imperial edifice, its subsequent evolution took a different direction. Byzantium also pertains to Hellenism, with a cultural horizon rooted in Antiquity, and achieves a synthesis of elements and values belonging to various cultures. Among the Byzantine realities, the various Oriental or Occidental influences held an important place. From Moscow to Venice, from London to Paris or Rome, kings, elites and people dreamed of reaching Constantinople, of conquering it. Its artistic and spiritual legacy is extraordinary, and its decisive role in transmitting the Greek texts gained the prestige of this millennium-old civilization. Format: 13 x 20 cm; 520 p. + 10 maps ISBN: 978‑973‑136‑220-5 “Theological Studies” «« back