Tunica Talaris—the long-sleeved, long-girded tunica worn by woman and elderly man.
Udo—covering for the foot resembling our present day houseslipper.
Umbo—pouch or fold formed by draping upper left part of toga to envelop right hand; abandoned in 1st century.
Veil—short or long rectangular piece of light wool, silk, linen or cotton, often fringed and ornamented with gold; draped over head and shoulder. Refer to Chaps. 3, 4.
Byzantium
CHRONOLOGY
Byzantium founded c. 658 B.C. Reduced by Pausanias, 479 B.C.
Constantine the Great, A.D. 323-337, sole ruler A.D. 324, Constantinople, capital of Roman Empire, A.D. 330. Empire divided at his death among his three sons.
Division of Roman Empire, A.D. 364, Valentinian elected Emperor of Western Empire, his brother, Valens became Emperor of Eastern Empire.
Theodosius the Great, A.D. 379-395. Constantinople, capital of Eastern or Grecian Empire; Rome capital of Western Empire. Public schools established. Theodosius made ruler of the East and later became ruler of entire Empire, A.D. 394-395. After his death 395, division of Roman Empire between his two sons, Honorius received the Western and Arcadius the Eastern half.
Fall of the Western Empire, A.D. 476.
Justinian the Great, A.D. 527-565, reunited the Empire. Great patron of the arts. Legislation compiled in the Novellae, A.D. 529, giving Roman law much prestige, publication of Codex Justinianus, A.D. 529. Building of Santa Sophia, A.D. 532-537.
Division of Early Christian Church in A.D. 729. Eastern portion in Constantinople known as Greek Orthodox Church.
Iconoclastic Controversy, A.D. 726, 741, 753.
Irene, First Empress, A.D. 797-802.
Coronation of Charlemagne, Western Empire, A.D. 800, not recognized by Eastern Empire until A.D. 803. Peace with the Emperor of the Eastern Empire, the latter retaining southern Italy, Venice, and Dalmatia.
University of Constantinople opened about A.D. 850.
Final separation of the Roman Church, 1054.
CHAPTER 6
Byzantium
HISTORY
The influence of Byzantine culture spread far and wide—to all the important cities of Italy—to the Merovingians and Carlovingians of Western Europe—as far north as Russia and as far south as North Africa. From the 5th to the 12th centuries Byzantium became the most important power of the period and a center of culture, including fashions.
The colony of Byzantium was founded in 658 B.C. by a small band of immigrants who left Megara, a port on the Isthmus of Corinth, and landed on the promontory dividing Asia from Europe. They established primitive fortifications, built reed huts.
Constantine the Great, realizing that the site of Byzantium was important as a connecting link between Western and Eastern civilizations, founded a city there in A.D. 330 and named it “New Rome,” the capital of the Roman Empire. Later, it was given his name and the two names—Byzantium and Constantinople—were used interchangeably. Before the time of Constantine, the Christian religion was for slaves, hermits, and humble folk; under his reign it became a religion for conquerors, courtiers, and soldiers.
After the death of Theodosius the Great in A.D. 395 the Roman Empire was divided into the Eastern and the Western Empires. Constantinople became the capital of the East Roman or the Byzantine Empire, known also as the Greek Empire and the Eastern Empire. For ten and a half centuries the Byzantine Empire existed, and during a long time it was the most important center of commerce and civilization in the world. Caravans of vast wealth from northern and eastern Asia converged on Constantinople, bearing goods to be traded with Wester Europe. In turn, these same caravans carried back Byzantine works of art, and other products of much interest and value to the Asiatic people. Shipping on the Mediterranean was largely controlled by the Byzantines.
EAST ROMAN EMPIRE A.D. 565
The Classic Greek art had influenced the new or Christian art, as the latter was known. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire in A.D. 476, the influence of Classic art or Greek and Greco-Roman art, came to an end. Oriental influence in Constantinople became more and more important, until it superseded Western dominance. The simplicity of the old Roman dress gave way to the gay coloring, fringes, tassels, and jewels of the East. The idea in dress in this era was to conceal and obscure the body.
Emperor Justinian of the Eastern Empire, who was greatly influenced by his wife Theodora, did much to encourage the manufacture of silk fabrics. Excellent examples of the costumes worn by the Emperor and the Empress Theodora may be found in the mosaics in the church of St. Vitale in Ravenna. While costume showed elaborate display of jewels in the 6th century, it retained a more or less simple and dignified line. Emperor Justinian also was a great builder and patron of the arts. His important architectural achievement was the building of Santa Sophia, Church of the Holy Mission, dedicated on Christmas morning, A.D. 537. He is also known for collecting and codifying the Roman law, which forms the basis of modern law. The year A.D. 540 of his reign marked a high point of Byzantine power; after his death there was a decline of the Empire for several centuries.
When Constantine became emperor he abolished the penalties for celibacy and childlessness inaugurated during Roman times. Large families were not encouraged.
The women were respected and exerted power in politics. That they rose to a high position politically is shown by Empress Pulcheria, who ruled with her brother Theodosius, II, and Empress Theodora, the wife of Justinian, whose courage in refusing to leave when the rebels attacked the palace, during the great Niké insurrection of A.D. 532, saved her husband’s crown. She acquired great influence over her husband and is cited as acting with great cruelty in her exercise of power. The Byzantine woman considered the interests of the entire household before those of her own. She was swayed emotionally rather than intellectually and her success was on the domestic rather than the social side of life. The seclusion of the woman of the East outside court circles was indicative of the protective care of her husband. In a number of cases this seclusion resulted in lack of freedom:
Craftsmen executed exquisite enameling and mosaics as well as beautiful objects in gold and silver. In A.D. 551 the eggs of silkworms were smuggled into Constantinople from China by two Persian monks who concealed them in a palmer stave, and eventually the chief occupation of the Byzantines was the manufacture of silk. Fresco painting was also known at this time.
DRESS
1 Sources of information: mosaics of San Vitale and Ravenna, sarcophagi, frescoes, sculpture, manuscripts, carved ivory, fragments of textiles still in existence.
2 MENGarments:Outer upper: sleeve and garment cut in one; sleeved dalmatica belted below waistline or about hip, at first, worn over tunica, high neckline with slit down front, length to below knee or to instep; segmentum; colobium; tunica talaris and tunica palmata, extending halfway between knee and ankle, for consul; tunica with decoration at neckline for middle class, 5th and 6th centuries; short tunic for courtier; latus clavus; angustus clavus; shorter tunica with jeweled embroidery at neck and hem, 10th and 11th centuries; simple tunic buttoned at neck and belted, for middle class.Outer lower: hosa; bracco or braies sometimes cross-gartered; close-fitting hose also often cross-gartered; drawers or trousers worn, 6th century A.D.Under: chemise.Cloak and overgarments: toga worn by consul until 6th century; toga picta; paludamentum; tablion; semicircular cloak fastened in front after 9th century;