Greek Fire

These sites examine Greek Fire, the medieval equivalent of napalm.

http://www.greece.org/Romiosini/greek_fire.html and
http://www.ucalgary.ca/HIST/tutor/oldwrld/armies/greekfire.html

Questions for further examination:

Do we know what "Greek Fire" was? Against who was it used and much feared by? Why did its use decline?

Anna Comnena

These sites lend insight into the life of Anna Comnena, a notable Byzantine historian.

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine5.html and
http://marauder.millersv.edu/~english/homepage/duncan/medfem/comnena.html

Questions for exploration:

What frustrated Anna in her ambitions to rise to a place of power in Byzantine society? What other obstacles did a woman face in obtaining a wider participation in society or view of the world. Why did she despise the Crusaders from Western Europe who were ostensibly coming to the aid of Byzantium against the Muslims? Historians often seek underlying processes that might determine events. What forces does Anna Comnena find at work that thwarted success at the siege of Durazzo? What technologies were employed at the siege of Durazzo?

Orthodox Church

This offers a short history of the Orthodox Church.

http://www.goarch.org/access/Companion_to_Orthodox_Church/History_of_Orthodox_Church.html

Questions for exploration:

What are the chief characteristics of Orthodox Christianity? What views do Orthodox Christianity share with Catholics? With Protestants? What are the chief obstacles, for an Orthodox perspective, that stand in the way of reuniting the Christian World?

Emperor Justinian

This site explores the reign of Emporer Justinian.

http://www.salve.edu/~romanemp/justinia.htm and
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/procop-wars4-9.html

Questions for exploration:

What was Justinian’s major concern during his reign and how was that reflected in his military campaigns and his legal reforms? Did he succeed in this effort? How do historians judge his administration?

Icons and Iconoclasm

The Byzantine authorities were embarrassed by Muslims who charged that they were idol-worshippers due to the Byzantine reverence for icons or holy images. These officials, however, had many reasons for attempting to ban the icons (iconoclasm).

http://www.pallasart.com/ikons/middle.html,
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/johndamascus-images.html and http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/nicea2-dec.html

Questions for further exploration:

What forces fed the iconoclastic movement? How was the issue resolved?

Saints Cyril and Methodius

These sites explore the lives of two men canonized for their work in spreading Christianity among the Slavic-speaking peoples of Eastern Europe.

http://www.omda.bg/engl/history/kiril&meth.html,
http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/Christianity/StCyril.html, and
http://www.chesco.com/~stjosephrcc/home/sjccm.html (images)

Questions for further exploration:

Discuss the mission of Cyril and Methodius. What aspect of that mission greatly departed from Church traditions? Who opposed that mission and why did they do so? What was the result of this opposition and its legacy for European Christianity?

Kevian Rus and Novgorod

These sites offer an introduction to two of the earliest Russian states, Kiev and Novgorod.

http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/russia/lectures/03birth.html
http://www.novgorod.ru/english/city/history/lnovg/eng/

Questions for further exploration:

Why is it difficult to trace the origins of the Russian people? What ancient trade route accounts for the rise of Kiev and Novgorod? What large-scale historical movement of peoples was Novgorod spared?

The Third Rome

This site offers the account of the monk Filofei’s appeal to the Czars of Russia to assume the role of leaders of Christendom.

http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dml0www/3rdrome.html and
http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1997/399720.shtml

Questions for further exploration:

What were the earlier First and Second Romes? How had they fallen? What errors should the Czar avoid in abusing his power? What has happened that has led to this appeal for the Czar to take on the responsibility for building a Third Rome? How does this idea still have some currency in Russia today, and what are its modern implications?

Byzantine Civilization: An Assessment

This site offers a recent essay that surveys the strengths and weaknesses of the Byzantine Empire.

http://wwics.si.edu/OUTREACH/WQ/WQSELECT/TREAD.HTM

Questions for further exploration:

Why does the Byzantine Empire continue to be worthy of study? How do historians often misconstrue its history and legacy? In what ways was the Byzantine Empire typical of pre-industrial empires? In what ways was it largely elitist? In what ways may the Byzantine heritage account for the poverty in much of its former domains? Finally, how is the United States today similar to the Byzantine Empire at the height of its power?

Empress Theodora

These sites explore the life of one of the most powerful people of the Byzantine world, the Empress Theodora.

Questions for further exploration:

How did Theodora’s early life illuminate the conflicts within early Christianity? What rule did Justinian have to suspend to marry Theodora? What was her role in the Nika Revolt that may have saved the empire? What city did she reshape in her later years?