Byzantine
Hagia Sophia's tradition
Byzantine relates to Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire, the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire centered in Constantinople from the 4th to 15th centuries.
Byzantine art is characterized by religious iconography, gold backgrounds, and formal stylization.
Byzantine architecture features domes and elaborate mosaics.
The empire's reputation for elaborate court intrigue gave rise to the lowercase adjective. (Lowercase byzantine means excessively complicated.)
Historic Turkish metropolis
- TheodoraFeminine name, Greek origin
- Hagia SophiaHistoric Istanbul religious structure
- Eastern Roman EmpireConstantinople-centered medieval state
- RavennaEmilia-Romagna coastal city
Justinian · cataphract · Greek fire · Varangian Guard · purple · autocrat
Rounded vault forming roof
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- apseVaulted church recess
- basilicaColonnaded church with apse
- Hagia SophiaHistoric Istanbul religious structure
Ravenna · narthex · atrium · gold leaf · fresco · cupola · squinch · clerestory
Overlaid with gold leaf
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- filigreeDelicate twisted-wire ornamentation
- embellishedDecorated or exaggerated
- bejeweledDecorated with precious stones
iconographic · ornate · enamel · tessellated · haloed · frescoed · inlaid · medallion
Attacking revered traditions
- patriarchMale head of family
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- monasticismCloistered religious living
- theologyStudy of the divine
ecumenical · schism · saints · monks · icons · mosaics · Hagia Sophia · Great Schism
Crafty and calculating
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- plottingDevising a secret plan
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
treachery · palace intrigue · courtly · factionalism · assassination · usurpation · conniving · subterfuge
Male-authority based
- Celtic crossRinged Christian symbol
- ankhLooped Egyptian vitality symbol
- crucifixCross with Christ figure
- buddedFormed early growths
Constantinople
Historic Turkish metropolis
- TheodoraFeminine name, Greek origin
- Hagia SophiaHistoric Istanbul religious structure
- Eastern Roman EmpireConstantinople-centered medieval state
Justinian · Ravenna · cataphract · Greek fire · Varangian Guard · purple · autocrat
dome
Rounded vault forming roof
Hagia Sophia · Ravenna · narthex · atrium · gold leaf · fresco · cupola · squinch · clerestory · ambulatory
gilded
Overlaid with gold leaf
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
- filigreeDelicate twisted-wire ornamentation
- embellishedDecorated or exaggerated
bejeweled · iconographic · ornate · enamel · tessellated · haloed · frescoed · inlaid · medallion · arabesque
iconoclasm
Attacking revered traditions
- patriarchMale head of family
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- monasticismCloistered religious living
theology · ecumenical · schism · saints · monks · icons · mosaics · Hagia Sophia · Great Schism · relics
scheming
Crafty and calculating
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- plottingDevising a secret plan
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
duplicity · treachery · palace intrigue · courtly · factionalism · assassination · usurpation · conniving · subterfuge · maneuvering
patriarchal
Male-authority based
- Celtic crossRinged Christian symbol
- ankhLooped Egyptian vitality symbol
- crucifixCross with Christ figure
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- ancient worldancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient Egypt, pyramids, pyramid
- art stylesimpressionism, surrealism, cubism, realism, pop art
- civilizationempires, empire, civilizations, dynasty, kingdoms
- GreeceAcropolis, Parthenon, Athens, Greek, Hellenic
- architecture stylesart deco, Art Nouveau, minimalism, modernism, Modernism
Byzantinesimple
Free of complexity
straightforward · uncomplicated · plain · elementary · basic
Byzantinestraightforward
Clear and uncomplicated
transparent · direct · open · aboveboard · candid
- Byzantine EmpireMedieval eastern Roman state
- Byzantine politicsConvoluted governmental scheming
- Byzantine GreekEastern Empire's literary language
- Byzantine artMedieval eastern imperial aesthetic
- Byzantine architectureEastern empire construction tradition
- Byzantine aristocracyElite of medieval Constantinople
Byzantine Greek, Byzantium, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine art, Byzantines, Byzantine architecture