Need ideas for research paper topic

[Davidius]

Hello all,

This semester I am taking a course called Byzantine Civilization in which I will be required to write a 12-15 page research paper. Our professor will be discussing possible topics with us on an individual basis in February, and I would like to have some good ideas when she and I sit down to talk. Now, I know very little about the Byzantine Empire/Eastern Orthodox Church. Can anyone suggest important topics in literary or intellectual history? Thanks for your help!

 

[Blue Tick]

Davidius,

Here are some topics to think about.

The Early Byzantine Empire

1. How were villages organized and run in late antique Egypt?
2. What role did the wife of any given emperor play in politics or religion?
3. What evidence is there for climatic change in the eastern Mediterranean at the end of Antiquity?
4. How did Byzantine theologians understand the role of the Pope in the 6th century?
5. Why did all attempts at compromise between Monophysites and Chalcedonians fail?
6. Why did pilgrimage develop as an important spiritual practice in Late Antiquity?
7. What social and/or military role did the Arabs play on the frontier in the years before 636?
8. In reality how devastating was the invasion of Alaric (or Attila or any other barbarian group)?
9. To what degree were German allies settled in Roman territory in the East?
10. What was the nature of the political and social development of the Slavs before A.D. 800?
11. How was commerce between the Aegean and the Black Sea regulated by the state?
12. What were Byzantine theological attitudes toward war and military service?
13. What are current theories about the composition of "Greek Fire"?
14. To what degree did Byzantine armies have a technological superiority over their enemies?
15. How were weapons supplied to the Byzantine armies?
16. What was the importance of healing cults in the early Byzantine period?
17. How did Byzantine authors react to the fall of Rome (or the fall of Alexandria)?
18. On a practical level, how did Byzantine diplomacy operate?
19. What were the characteristics and operation of Byzantine "spies"?
20. How much did Arab culture influence Byzantium before 843?

From Ohio State University Department of History.

 

[Pergamum]

Explore the efforts, or lack of efforts, of Byzantine Christians to evangelize their Muslim neighbors and the factors why or why not.

Stephen Neill and Kenneth Scott Latourette might be helpful.

 

[panta dokimazete]

Maybe something on the Byzantine Manuscripts?

 

[No Longer A Libertine]

How about why they made the Greek language more difficult to grasp than it had been prior to them fiddling with it, jerks.

 

[Davidius]

Maybe something on the Byzantine Manuscripts?

Would you elaborate on that? I don't know what the Byzantine Manuscripts are.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Maybe something on the Byzantine Manuscripts?

Would you elaborate on that? I don't know what the Byzantine Manuscripts are.

They are Greek copies of the New Testament Scriptures (or, at least, parts of the NT Scriptures). They are a family of manuscripts - others include the Alexandrian and Western families.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

A few ideas:

* The Great Schism of 1054
* The promulgation and influence of the Codex Justinianus
* The Byzantine Iconoclastic controversy
* The legacy of Constantine the Great and/or Theodosius the Great and their legacies wrt church-state relationships
* Leo VI the Wise or the Philosopher and his legacy
* The Fall of Constantinople and the subsequent contribution of Byzantine scholars to the Renaissance and Reformation

 

[a mere housewife]

I've been rather fascinated with Julian the Apostate since I found out the line in Swinburne, "Thou hast conquered, O pale Galilean" is attributed to him in death:

Julian is repeating, in reverse, the actions of his uncle Constantine in favouring Christianity. He intends to put in place a network of pagan priests and officials throughout the empire of the kind established by the Christians. This view of tomorrow does not appeal to yesterday's elite.

To what extent the young emperor might have achieved his aim is one of history's interesting speculations. In Christian eyes God gives a swift and decisive answer when Julian is killed, in 363, in a skirmish against the Persians. A rumour, first heard a century later, offers wry satisfaction. It is said that in his dying words the apostate cedes victory to Christ: Vicisti, Galilaee (Thou hast conquered, Galilean).

from this site.

I could be mistaken, but I don't believe paganism was outlawed until Theodosius took over after him, largely as a response to the measures he had taken to suppress Christianity and promote paganism. I've wondered if the pagan influence was more prominent or -unified or something in the EOC with some elements of mystery religion feel/appeal; and if he had anything to do with that.

 

[greenbaggins]

I second Viriginia Huguenot's list, especially the first item on that list. The Great Schism came about for several reasons, but the most interesting of them is the filioque controversy concerning the Nicene Creed. On this topic, you can go to Robert Letham's great book on the Trinity and get loads of help in understanding the differences between East and West on Trinitarian theology. This cannot be explored too much.

 

[Pergamum]

You could aks why most of the Crusaders were from Western Europe rather than those lands most in contact with the Muslim world (logically that would stirup the most zeal to fight the enemy). What was it in Byzantiumthat was different than in Western Catholicism that did not promote a Crusading Zeal.

 

[fredtgreco]

You could aks why most of the Crusaders were from Western Europe rather than those lands most in contact with the Muslim world (logically that would stirup the most zeal to fight the enemy). What was it in Byzantiumthat was different than in Western Catholicism that did not promote a Crusading Zeal.

Crusaders were by definition from the West. They originally came in response to a call from the Byzantine Emperor. The Byzantines were already fighting, and did not need a call.

 

[fredtgreco]

You could look at:

• the Goths and their influence on both the politics and theology (esp. Arianism) of the Empire
• the role of the bureaucracy
• how the political struggles between the Empire and the West affected ecclesiastical struggles/conflicts (esp. important in Illyricum)
• Justinian's attempts to recapture the West
• The Codex Iustianus and its influence (or lack thereof) on modern/classical Western jurisprudence
• Basil II as the height of the Empire

Do yourself a favor and get Ostrogorsky'sHistory of teh Byzantine Empire. It is fabulous. Also very good is J.B. Bury's History of the Late Roman Empire

 

[fredtgreco]

I've been rather fascinated with Julian the Apostate since I found out the line in Swinburne, "Thou hast conquered, O pale Galilean" is attributed to him in death:

Julian is repeating, in reverse, the actions of his uncle Constantine in favouring Christianity. He intends to put in place a network of pagan priests and officials throughout the empire of the kind established by the Christians. This view of tomorrow does not appeal to yesterday's elite.

To what extent the young emperor might have achieved his aim is one of history's interesting speculations. In Christian eyes God gives a swift and decisive answer when Julian is killed, in 363, in a skirmish against the Persians. A rumour, first heard a century later, offers wry satisfaction. It is said that in his dying words the apostate cedes victory to Christ: Vicisti, Galilaee (Thou hast conquered, Galilean).

from this site.

I could be mistaken, but I don't believe paganism was outlawed until Theodosius took over after him, largely as a response to the measures he had taken to suppress Christianity and promote paganism. I've wondered if the pagan influence was more prominent or -unified or something in the EOC with some elements of mystery religion feel/appeal; and if he had anything to do with that.

This is exactly right. If I recall correctly, Julian was actually pontifex maximus. Constantine made Christianity a relgio licta (a tolerated religion), Theodosius made it the religion of the Empire.

One other point: both Constantine and Julian are not technically Byzantine emperors, but rather Roman Emperors.

 

[RamistThomist]

Fred,
Have you read Norman Cantor?

 

[fredtgreco]

Fred,
Have you read Norman Cantor?

No. What book(s)?

 

[a mere housewife]

Thanks Rev. Greco for the further information on both points.

I'd read that Julian was Byzantine when I initially read up on him but wondered about that before I posted today so rechecked on Wikipedia: it says many people date the Byzantine Empire from Constantine, others from Theodosius, and others from the last Roman emporer. I wasn't sure what view was involved in the course, but evidently the Constantine view is not the standard position, then. What would be more correct?

 

[fredtgreco]

Thanks Rev. Greco for the further information on both points.

I'd read that Julian was Byzantine when I initially read up on him but wondered about that before I posted today so rechecked on Wikipedia: it says many people date the Byzantine Empire from Constantine, others from Theodosius, and others from the last Roman emporer. I wasn't sure what view was involved in the course, but evidently the Constantine view is not the standard position, then. What would be more correct?

I tend to view it as Theodosius, since there were more "dual" Emperors at that time. When there was one Emperor, like Constantine and Julian, it does not seem right to speak of a Byzantine Emperor (i.e. there would be no "Western" Emperor).

Here is a really good web resource on this:
Roman Emperors - DIR--De Imperatoribus Romanis Roman History Roman Roman Empire Imperator Basileus De Imperatoribus Romanis Encyclopedia Byzantine

 

[a mere housewife]

Thanks again; the link is added to my favorites.

(edit: the other view then, would be based solely on an Eastern capital?)

 

[fredtgreco]

Thanks again; the link is added to my favorites.

(edit: the other view then, would be based solely on an Eastern capital?)

Yes. That would be my guess. Constantine was the first to "officially" make Constantinople a capital. Not the, but a capital.

 

[RamistThomist]

Fred,
Have you read Norman Cantor?

No. What book(s)?

Civilization of the Middle Ages. He had a good section on the late Roman Empire which dovetailed with what you were saying.

 

[Davidius]

It turns out that I'll be writing on Photios, Patriarch of Constantinople, and his Bibliotheka.

 

[DMcFadden]

Wow, that was just what I was thinking.

Blessed providence on your project!

 

[Grymir]

What a fasinating subject to write about!! Post a copy on PB when you get it done. I would love to read it.

 

[Davidius]

Wow, that was just what I was thinking.

Blessed providence on your project!

What a fasinating subject to write about!! Post a copy on PB when you get it done. I would love to read it.

Thanks! I certainly shall.

 

[panta dokimazete]

It turns out that I'll be writing on Photios, Patriarch of Constantinople, and his Bibliotheka.

nice! looking forward to it!

 

[Davidius]

If anyone would care to read the rough draft of my paper and point out typos, lack of clarity, etc., it can be found at http://www.unc.edu/~dcpell/photiuspaper.doc

 

[greenbaggins]

Thanks, Davidius, for this extremely informative paper. I enjoyed it immensely, and thought that the style was clear, the arguments well marshalled, and the conclusions compelling. On pg. 13, I would suggest you cite a source for the Julian claim, as well as the Cappadocians' response. Also, on pg 2, line 7, I would recommend changing "more widely circulate his work" to "circulate his work more widely," so as to preserve the parallel with the infinitive. Other than that, splendid work.

 

[ModernPuritan?]

if memory serves was it not the "peaceful religion of Islam" that first attacked Constantinople/byzantine empire? (Its been a while since i did history, so forgive me if im being anachronistic

 

[Davidius]

if memory serves was it not the "peaceful religion of Islam" that first attacked Constantinople/byzantine empire? (Its been a while since i did history, so forgive me if im being anachronistic

Yeah, they were one group with whom the Byzantines bumped heads.