The cultural heritage of the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Kingdom of Egypt and many other, equally great civilizations, greatly influenced the development of modern society. A huge number of cultural monuments has survived to the present day, presenting to society the traditions, customs and worldview of the ancient people.
The art of Byzantium is the clearest example of this. After the partition of the great Roman Empire, the kings of Constantinople ascended the throne, who left after their eleven-century rule a gigantic amount of cultural property. The difficult and difficult stages of historical development not only did not aggravate the growth and improvement of the art of civilization, but also presented the world with unforgettable artifacts, a small part of which is now available for visual acquaintance.
The art of Byzantium began its development with the slave system. The smooth transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages also left its indelible imprint on the improvement of culture. This period is characterized by magnificent monuments of architecture and art. It was at that time that the architects of the state tried to preserve the huge heritage that the people inherited from the great Roman Empire.
A huge role in the art of Byzantium was made by the adoption of Christianity by the people. This brought the state closer to such dissimilar territories as Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Serbia, etc. This period is characterized by the widespread installation of domed ceilings during the construction of churches. In the medieval period, the development of areas such as the creation of mosaics, frescoes and book miniatures. It is worth noting that it is at this stage that iconography plays an increasingly important role. But sculptural creations cannot boast of their rapid development. However, it was precisely the social life and system of the people of the state that imparted a special charm and unique beauty to the art of Byzantium. At the same time, the church fully served the public good. In accordance with the medieval representations of the people, the emperor was the governor of the Lord. His power was supported by a powerful church apparatus.
The fine art of Byzantium also underwent some changes. Artists of the first centuries of our era displayed vivid images in their creations that were permeated with allegorical features. Plasticity and distraction from the Christian principle are the main features of paintings of that time. They were replaced by creativity, the main sign of which was the divine beginning. The expression of spiritual greatness has become an integral part of every piece of art.
The church was the only major critic. The main directions in which the development and formation of art was going on were icon painting, murals, mosaics and book miniatures. A background of shimmering golden color, sparkling faces of stones and smalt, bright ornaments - these are the main features of almost any work of the creators of that era, which Byzantium became famous throughout the world. The art of this state has gone through several stages of its development. The first of these was the early Christian stage (from the 1st to the 3rd century AD). It is followed by the so-called Early Byzantine, affecting the sixth and seventh centuries. This period is famous for the development of temple architecture and Ravenna mosaics. Following it, the iconoclastic stage begins for a century and a half, replaced by the Macedonian Renaissance, which lasted until the 11th century. The penultimate period was the era of conservatism, and the development of the great art of Byzantium with Hellenistic principles and anti-crisis tendencies ended, which was reflected in the Paleological Renaissance.