In the depths of tenth-century Byzantine ceremonial
The treatment of Arab prisoners of war at imperial banquets
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11933221 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Liliana Simeonova (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Pages | 75-104 |
| Publication date | 1998-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0307-0131 • E-ISSN: 1749-625X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1179/byz.1998.22.1.75 |
| OpenAlex | W2079716831 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 1 |
Modern studies dedicated to the semantics of Byzantine ceremonies seem to agree on at least two points: (a) that the Byzantines had an elaborate ceremonial for every possible occasion and (b) that even the tiniest element of this ceremonial was loaded with multiple layers of meaning. Whether it took place in the streets of Constantinople, in the Hippodrome, in the Forum of Constantine or at various places in the palace, this lavish ceremonial always pursued the same ultimate goal: to impress, and intimidate, both the capital’s citizenry and the visitors. The Byzantine ceremonial invariably had a religious dimension to it, which was to make everybody — Christian, pagan, and infidel alike — believe in the eternal glory and splendour of the Empire of New Rome. Sometimes, the observer was supposed to get this idea through watching, or partaking of, ceremonies that represented a magnificent blend of acclamations, music, light, colourful costumes, meaningful gestures and ample decoration. On other occasions, the same idea was propagated through the public humiliation of captured domestic rebels, high-ranking foreign captives, or other rulers’ diplomatic agents; to make the picture complete, the act of humiliation could be extended to include a possible ill-treatment of the foreigners’ servants and horses. Whether openly manifested or buried in subtle gestures, flattery and ridicule often went hand-in-hand in the language of Byzantine ceremonies. While foreigners may not have always been able to understand what was going on, no variation in the ceremonial could ever escape the sharp eye of the Byzantine courtier, to whom being in tune with the slightest change in the prevalent mood was simply a question of survival
Ancient history · Byzantine architecture · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Byzantine Studies and History · Classics · Eurasian Exchange Networks · History
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| Citations per year | 0.38 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2005 - 2022 (18) |
| Highly cited | No |