Byzantium, the Lost Empire (1/4): Building the Dream - ABTV (1997)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire
With Greek subtitle: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8660677296696390218#
"Byzantium, the Lost Empire", an Agran Barton TV production for The Learning Channel in association with IBIS Films and Channel Four Television ; series producer, Nicholas Barton ; written by John Romer ; co-writer, Elizabeth Romer ; series director, Derek Towers.
For more than 1,000 years, the Byzantine Empire was the eye of the entire world -- the origin of great literature, fine art and modern government. Heir to Greece and Rome, the Byzantine Empire was also the first Christian empire.
After a year of filming on three continents, TLC unlocks this ancient civilization, spanning 11 centuries and three continents. Pass through the gates of Constantinople, explore the magnificent mosque of Hagia Sophia and see the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks, Venice.
Byzantium, brings to life an empire that, while seemingly distant, is very closely linked to the evolution of Western Civilization. Traces the growth of the first Christian empire, one that lasted for over a thousand years and the maturity and decline of Byzantium through its conquest by the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
John Romer, the author and on-screen guide for the series, breathes life into the city and the powerful ideas that made the Byzantium a thriving cultural and commercial center while western Europe was slogging through the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages.
At its height, Byzantium housed the most precious Christian relics, including a piece of Christ's cross. Located on the border of Europe and Asia, it ruled an empire that extended across Asia Minor and the Balkans. Then, after the rise of Islam, the empire shrank until little was left outside the city walls.
Byzantium turned to Europe for help in fighting the infidels, only to have its own city sacked by the Crusaders whose help it sought. Venice, its erstwhile trading partner, carried off many of its artistic masterpieces. The Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Christian church, became Istanbul's most famous mosque.
And the scholars who had kept alive the study of Greek for more than a millennium fled to Europe where they helped lay the groundwork for the Renaissance. Byzantium, the video, takes us on a visually sumptuous journey to key locations throughout the empire, while putting a human face on the key actors in the history of this unique and vital empire. I never suspected I would find this story as compelling as it turned out to be.
1. Building the dream
2. Heaven on Earth
3. Envy of the world
4. Forever and ever.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Byzantium
• Empire
• east
• Roman
• Balkan
• Peninsula
• Europe

[geraldmartinez360]

@IAMTHECAPSGODLOL It was the Christian name until it was invaded by the muslims and changed to Istanbul. They have the habit you know of changing every trace of christianity of c city they conquered. The name of the place, time from Ano Domini to Hijdra, Laws from constitution to sharia, name of persons etc...

[Danorowski]

@Standuble Of course, ignition of Renaissance wasn't only due to the pillaging of old, Islamic libraries, it was a combination of that, Marco Polo's travels, Constantinople's riches and archives and newly-built colleges in Europe for priests and monks that really sparked up the desire for reasoning, it became more and more common among scholars to question everything around them. Blend it all together, and BLAM! Enlightenment! Took some time, but better late than never.

[Standuble]

@Danorowski I thank you for your enlightening response, I hadn't been aware of this particular incident and was working under the belief that the revival of knowledge for the Crusaders was gradual osmosis over time.

I was thinking more along the lines of wealth, gold, silver etc. Constantinople had always been a wealthy city. Compare that to the nations of Western Europe: Living in lands mostly depleted of gold and silver by the Romans, lacking necessary wealth to fund scholars etc.

[Danorowski]

@Standuble It was the treachery of Crusades that led to Renaissance and was at least in part responsible for the downfall of Constantinople. Had Alexios not let the Crusaders through, they would have never sacked a library in one Arabic town containing scholarly work, such as alchemy, algebra, arithmetic, physics and even Aristotle's books that were brought back to Europe and in turn igniting Renaissance. Though Constantinople would have other things to do than discovering new lands.

[Standuble]

It would have been interesting to see whether the "Byzantines" could have managed or created a renaissance and in turn American colonisation and the Industrial Revolution.

I have read Western Europe would not have been able to afford either the renaissance or the later discovery of the Americas had it not sacked Constantinople in 1204.

[rocoreb]

@IAMTHECAPSGODLOL how did you reach to this conclusion sir? do you actually know the etymology of the word Istanbul (not the common knowledge that it derives from Constantinople-every one knows that) or are you just regurgitating pseudo wikipedia history here?

[iampakiboy009]

@amanvds hindu!!!!

cow pee drinkers...

hahahaahahahahahahahahahahahah­aha

[IAMTHECAPSGODLOL]

@amanvds

CONSTANTINOPLE WAS ITS OFFICIAL NAME, BUT IN COMMON LANGUAGE IT WAS REFERED TO AS ISTANBUL FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT WAS OFFICIALY RENAMED (AND CHANGED OWNERSHIP)

[amanvds]

@IAMTHECAPSGODLOL What hahahah LOL ...... What was Constantinople then ????

[IAMTHECAPSGODLOL]

@Y3MUR

I DON'T ACTUALLY CARE WHAT YOU ARE ARGUING ABOUT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IT WAS REFERRED TO AS ISTANBUL BEFORE THE OTTOMAN CONQUEST