Cultural Matrix and Summary Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Matrix and Summary - Coursework Example The name of this Icon is The Savior Acheiropoietos. Speaking about Byzantine architecture, the paramount object is the Church of Hagia Sophia. By this unique building the whole period in the development of architecture could be depicted (Brooks). The Byzantium Empire fell, because of attack of foreigners. However, its fall was caused not only by external attack, but by many internal problems (Weitzmann). The main of them are the economic downfall of Byzantium, first of all the fall of its craft and trade connected with the penetration of empire by foreign traders, who undermined its economy; the poor life of peasantry and the citizens of the town; aggravation of class contradictions in the society and the struggle inside the dominating group; feudal wars, treacherous policy of feudals. The self-interested politics of the countries of Eastern Europe, which did not provide Byzantium with any help in danger, also contributed to the fall of the Empire (Bowersock). Byzantium created the outstanding culture, maybe even the most outstanding in the Middle Ages, the only existing in Christian Europe till XI century. It was the continuation of the richest antique culture and the beginning of the culture of the Middle Ages. During many centuries Constantinople remained the only great city of the Christian Europe, which did not have any analogues (Kazhdan). The literature and art of Byzantium imposed influence on other peoples’ culture. The remaining monuments and the great creations of art show to us the whole brilliance of the Byzantine culture. That is why Byzantium deservingly occupied the significant place in the history of the Middle