Brill’s New Pauly Supplements II - Volume 10 : History and Culture of Byzantium

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This compendium examines the history and culture of the Byzantine world from the foundation of Constantinople (324) to the Ottoman conquest of the city, which brought the final downfall of the Byzantine Empire (1453). A detailed 100-page introduction is followed by discussion of 15 key topics, including politics and government, people and society, legislation and legal practice, the army and navy, church and religion, nature and the environment, art and architecture, languages, literature, education and culture, medicine and music. Because the work forms part of Brill's New Pauly, particular attention is paid to aspects of continuity with the ancient world, and of innovation.

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4.2. Canon law and its status in the Byzantine legal system

(3,507 words)

Author(s): Papagianni, Eleftheria S.
A. Synods, canons, collections and commentariesThe first Christian norms were contained in the Bible. As Christianity spread, synods were called to issue ecclesiastical norms, known as ‘canons’ (Greek  kanon(es); Latin  canon(es)). Initially, these canons served local purposes and dealt with the appointment of bishops and disciplinary issues. The synod convened by Constantine I (2.2.) in 325 at Nicaea, however, was intended to rule on the dispute over the teachings of Arius (Arianism). This gathering, which promulgated twenty canons in addition to the Credo, is now reg…
Source: Brill’s New Pauly Supplements II - Volume 10 : History and Culture of Byzantium
Date: 2019-10-14

5.1. Central civil institutions

(3,255 words)

Author(s): Leppin, Hartmut
A. IntroductionA great many central civil institutions are known from Late Antiquity, and the most important of them are described systematically here. It may seem that the system can be deduced from the  Notitia dignitatum (a disjointed survey of the Roman tradition that may have been edited around 425, but contains earlier and often contentious material) [19], but this can lead to misconceptions. At no time was any system of offices intended as permanent devised and implemented. Although the era of Diocletian and Constantine was certainly a key phase in their d…
Source: Brill’s New Pauly Supplements II - Volume 10 : History and Culture of Byzantium
Date: 2019-10-14