Kalra Monika

The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was a division of the Roman Empire that existed during the Middle Ages. Constantinople was the capital of Turkey.

Byzantium was a multi-ethnic Christian state that had an important cultural, economic and political influence in the world at that time.

The Byzantines called themselves Romans because they were heirs to the Roman Empire. It was different from the Western Roman Empire due to its political, cultural and religious characteristics.

The Byzantine Empire was in existence from AD 285 to 1403. During the Middle Ages, it was a barrier against the advance of Islam. The history of Byzantium is seen as a symbol of the gulf between Western and Eastern cultures in world history.

Also, see Byzantine civilization.

The current territories of Turkey and Greece were where the Byzantine Empire was established. The eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, part of Egypt and some regions of Italy were included in its extension.

The emperor was defined by the Greek term basileus. The position was defined by means of a selection procedure in which the Senate, the army and representatives of the people were involved.

The procedure began to have religious features and the figure of the basileus became a divine character.

The Byzantine government was autocratic, and the basileus had power over all matters of the life of its citizens. He stood at the head of the administration and the army, created the laws, and was the supreme judge.

The basileus had a group of officials who were organized into a bureaucracy.

The Byzantine economy was based on trade and tax.

The majority of the people were peasants. The main agricultural products in Byzantium were wheat, legumes, honey, wine, and dried fruits.

Byzantium was able to develop long-distance trade with different regions. Constantinople became the center of great networks.

The main products imported were wheat and silk, which were used as food and luxury items in the cities.

The majority of the population paid taxes to the Byzantine state. The tax collection was put into the army.

Historians estimate that the Empire had 34 million inhabitants at its peak.

The majority of the population was peasants and there were inequalities in land ownership. Some people had small plots of land that allowed them to pay state taxes. Others worked in other people's fields in exchange for a paycheck. Over time, there were plots of impoverished peasants that were incorporated by large landowners.

The majority of people in the population were Christian.

Christianity in Byzantium was different from Western Christianity, which was the center of power.

There was a dispute between different interpretations of the religion in Byzantium.

The churches were decorated with pictures of Christ, the Virgin and the saints. At the beginning of the VIII century.

The iconoclasts began to oppose the representation of religious images because of their pagan beliefs.

Between 720 and 843 AD. The Byzantine emperors replaced religious representations with crosses. The use of religious representations was once again imposed in the 9th century.

The Eastern and Western Churches remained separate during the 11th century because of the "Great Schism" within the Christian Church. The Byzantines thought that the Orthodox Church followed Christian doctrine more faithfully than Western Christians. The reasons for the separation of the two churches were political and not based on questions of doctrine.

The Byzantine Empire went through many important moments.

The origin of the Empire.

The Empire was divided into two parts at the end of the 3rd century because of the political and economic crises.

Augustus and Caesar ruled each moiety. This system is called a tetrarchy.

This model remained alive until the death of Diocletian and then produced a series of internal wars that Emperor Constantine I put an end to, unifying both halves of the Empire and declaring Byzantium the new capital (“New Rome” it was called, but it was popularly known as Constantinopolis, the city of Constantine). The Empire was divided again after Theodosius I died. The Western Empire was ruled by Flavio Honorio, and the Eastern Empire was ruled by Arcadius.

The Western Roman Empire was conquered by the Germanic tribes in 476 AD C. The history of the Eastern Roman Empire lasted for almost a thousand more years before it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in AD 1453.

The reign of Justinian.

During the reign of Justinian I, the Byzantine Empire experienced a heyday. The victory against the Persians on the eastern border of the Empire allowed Byzantium to begin a campaign to recover the territories of the old Roman Empire which were now divided among various Germanic kingdoms. The Byzantine Empire conquered the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, Italy and southern Spain.

The best example of a cultural splendor is the temple of Santa Sofia, built in Byzantium as a symbol of imperial rebirth.

The Empire was plunged into an economic crisis and plague that wiped out a third of Constantinople's population after the war.

border instability

The VI and VII centuries AD. C. are times of crisis for the Eastern Roman Empire, besieged on multiple frontiers by various enemies: the Persians resumed their fight in the east, the Bulgarians and Slavs did the same in the north, and Islam conquered the Middle East in the richest territories of the Empire: Syria, Palestine and Egypt.

The emperors succeeded each other on the throne without reestablishing imperial strength, and had to defend Constantinople from the siege of the Avars and Slavs in AD 626.

The religious sphere was linked to different internal conflicts.

You don’t need to use wax; paint or varnish often provide the same protections. More often than not, people use wax because it protects the wood while leaving a natural finish. Wax is great for drawing out the natural features of your wood, highlighting all the knots and bumps and colouring that makes your wood unique.

Wax is waterproof, so it’s perfect for coffee tables and other pieces of furniture that see a lot of wear and tear. It protects against bumps and spills, helping your wood stay healthy for longer. It also forms a barrier against dust, making cleaning easy.

Wax is straightforward to apply, it often comes in liquid form, and you apply just like you would paint. It doesn’t take too much maintenance, but if you want your furniture looking in its best condition, you should apply a new coat of wax every year or so.

Now for the downsides – wax is notoriously difficult to remove. If you need to take off a layer, it can take a lot of elbow grease and sanding to remove the sheen. It will fade over time, but if you’re looking for a quick fix, be prepared for an imperfect finish. You can get products like wax remover that make this process easier but you’ll still need to scrub.

Applying layer after layer of wax can cause build-up, which leaves your wood looking dull and listless – the exact opposite of what you want to achieve.

Heat damages wax, so don’t leave hot plates or bowls of food on your tables or you’ll have a white ring of damage on the surface.

There are a couple of ways you can decide which wax to use.

Choosing your wax based on your project is generally the easiest option because you know this wax is designed to do the job. You can buy furniture wax, general multi-purpose interior wax, or flooring wax.

Furniture wax protects against spills and, to a degree, scuffs. It’s waterproof and is great for pieces like a coffee table, dining table or bedside table.

Floor wax is more robust than regular wood or furniture wax and is designed to cope with high-traffic areas of your home. It protects your wooden flooring against scuffs, chips and marks, keeping it in near-perfect condition.

Interior wax can be used on pretty much any wooden surface except flooring. It’s useful for touch-ups or if you want a no-fuss wax. Our Interior Wax also adds colour, giving wood a healthy look.

You can then break wax down further by the colour and application method.

Some waxes are pigmented and add a hint of colour to your wood while still keeping a natural look and feel.

Other waxes draw out the natural look of your wood or help to age wood. This kind of wax is ideal if you have a piece of pine furniture that you want to add a touch of personality to.

You can also get wax that’s completely clear and leaves the colour of your wood as is. This wax is ideal if you want to seal the furniture after having painted it.

Wax also comes in different forms. Liquid wax is well-suited to furniture that has a lot of intricate details or interesting shapes because you paint it on. Paste wax is better for smooth surfaces but harder to apply and needs elbow grease.

The wax you use depends on what you’re waxing.

Consider the effect you want to achieve and whether this means you need a coloured wax.

The details of your furniture will also influence the type of wax you use. Furniture with a lot of grooves or detail is easier to coat with liquid wax, whereas a table or cabinet top can is suited to paste wax.

Whether you want to remove a wax finish to replace it or to give your wood a lick of paint, it’s hard work, but it is possible.

Use a wax and polish remover initially to remove as much of the old wax as you can. This will get rid of the initial covering, but you might still need to put in work to get rid of the remainder.

After removing excess wax, use some sandpaper to rub the surface and work away the coating.

It’s highly unlikely you’ll do a perfect job and altogether remove the wax. However, by sanding the wax, you’ll have created a surface rough enough to coat over. Remember though that you may need more coats than usual of whatever you’re using to recoat, as patches of wax can create a slick surface that makes adhesion difficult.

Once you’ve chosen your wax, you can now apply it.