1. Constantinople became the new Rome thanks to Constantine.
Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I, was a Roman Emperor who lived from 272 to 337 and ruled between 306 and 337. He made Constantinople, now named Istanbul, a new imperial residence. Later, Constantinople served as a capital of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) for over a thousand years, until its fall in 1453. New Rome is a name used to describe Constantinople, as it in many ways resembled Rome.
2. The number of rulers in a tetrarchy - four.
The term tetrarchy (originating from Greek tetrarchia, meaning the leadership of four) refers to a form of government where four individuals share all power. When this term is used today, it usually refers to the Roman Empire government from 293 to 313, established by the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
3. Constantine came from a background that included a tetrarchy.
Before the organization of the tetrarchy, the Roman Empire was a diarchy, meaning that it was ruled by two individuals - the Emperor Diocletian and his co-emperor Maximian. Diocletian was in charge of the eastern part of the empire, while Maximian ruled the western half. As civic and military problems grew, Diocletian and Maximian appointed two more rulers -Galerius and Constantius Chlorus. Constantius Chlorus was the father of Constantine the Great.
4. The Byzantines preserved many aspects of Greco-Roman culture
Although the Byzantines originated from Romans and considered themselves to be Roman, the influence of Greek culture was far greater than the influence of Latin culture. People spoke Greek and wore Greek-style clothing. That wasn't surprising, as Greek culture spread on the East and Latin on the West. Though, it cannot be said that Byzantine culture was identical to Greek. Latin influence wasn't eliminated, and besides it, elements of Coptic, Armenian, and Persian cultures were noticeable. Constantinople was a very culturally diverse city.
5. The role of Christian religion in Byzantine art cannot be overstated.
Another proof of the influence of the Greek culture was that the official religion of the Byzantine empire was Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The role of Christianity in the Empire was a great one. The Empire was a theocracy, meaning that it was thought that the Empire was ruled by God working through the Emperor. Christian values and ideals were the foundation of the empire's political ideals and goals. As Christianity was that important in the Empire, art focused on it as well. Most surviving Byzantine art is related to religion. Fresco paintings, mosaics and illuminated manuscripts were the main media.
6. Byzantine artists relied on the abstract rendition of the human body
What made Byzantine art stand out was that it was more abstract than classical art. Classical art aimed to mimic reality as much as possible, while the approach of Byzantine artists was more oriented towards symbolism.
