When the Byzantine empire started developing, Christianity replaced the gods of antiquity as the official religion. The Christian monasticism became more popular and started growing in the fourth century. It slowly spread through the empire, becoming an essential of Byzantine faith. Religion quickly started escalating, artist started making sculptures representing religious figures. When the Christian religion grew outside of the Byzantine Empire a controversy grew over the proper use of religious images, resulting in destruction of icons mostly in the Byzantine Empire.
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The Byzantine Empire was a fully religious state. The kings that ruled the empire were though of as God’s representatives that he sent to earth. Most art created was representing God or other holly figures. The increase of creation of art was the outcome of the fact that the empire wanted to glorify the religious state using art. When the citizens of the Byzantine Empire created art it was made to appeal to the worshiper.
Another important influence for religion was architecture. One of the essentials for churches in the Byzantine Empire was the dome, the meaning originally came from Persia. The Empire had more churches and cathedrals build as religion became a daily essential. The most popular cathedral built in the whole Byzantine times was the Hagia Sophia. |
CitationsChrist Pantocrator Deesis Mosaic Hagia Sophia. Digital image. Wikimedia Commens. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
Christ Pantocrator. Digital image. Wikimedia Commens. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. Justinian. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. L'abbé Ména Et Le Christ. Digital image. Wikimedia Commens. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. JAN BANASZUK |
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