Byzantium vs Western Europe
Byzantium vs Western Europe
In many previous articles, we stated that Byzantine Empire was more advanced and prosperous than Western Europe and perhaps the most advanced and prosperous area in the world. We will explain this a little better. Byzantine Empire (also called Byzantium) was the indirect continuation of Hellenistic kingdoms, which were the direct continuation of Alexander's Macedonian (Greek) Empire.
The word Hellenistic derives from the world Hellenic which is the correct word for Greek. Hellenistic (Greekish or Greek-like) is a broader term coined by later historians to distinguish from Hellenic which is used strictly for Greece. During Hellenistic period, Hellenic (Greek) culture - civilization spread to all the areas in Alexander's Empire but was also influenced by other cultures - civilizations.
Hellenistic culture - civilization was mainly Hellenic but with considerable Eastern influence, from all the areas in Alexander's Empire. Byzantine culture - civilization started as Hellenistic and the language was Hellenic (Greek). Hellenistic fusion continued during Byzantine period. As a result, towards the end, Byzantine culture - civilzation was mainly Hellenistic with considerable influence from Slavs and lesser from other newcomers in the Empire.
The Classical period of Ancient Hellas (Greece) was 5th and 4th centuries BC, right before Hellenistic. It was a period with very impressive accomplishments. During Hellenistic time, prosperity and progress continued. Perhaps Byzantine period did not have as impressive accomplishments as Classical Ancient Hellenic (Greek) or even Hellenistic period. But the COMPARISON between BYZANTINE EMPIRE and WESTERN EUROPE was like DAY and NIGHT.
Byzantine Empire was much MORE ADVANCED and PROSPEROUS than Western Europe. The period of Byzantine Empire's existence was only a little longer than the period of Dark Ages in Western Europe. The fact that Byzantine accomplishments may not have been as impressive as those in Classical Hellas (Greece) or even Hellenistic kingdoms is totally unrelated to the comparison between Byzantine Empire and Western Europe.
Dark Ages in Western Europe is the period between the fall of (Western) Roman Empire and Renaissance, from 5th to 14th century AD. The worst period of Byzantine Empire was the two and a half centuries between the two sacks of Constantinople. The first was in 1204 AD by Western European Crusaders and the second in 1453 AD by Ottoman Turks. Only during that period, Western Europeans started catching up with Byzantine Empire.
Renaissance in Western Europe was from 14th to 17th century but the main period is the two centuries in the middle, 15th and 16th. Byzantines played a crucial role in Renaissance. After the sack of Constantinople by Ottomans, many Byzantines fled, mainly to Russia and Italy. Byzantine scholars and artists had a major impact on Renaissance that started in Italy and spread in the rest or Western Europe.
Byzantine scholars brought with them thousands of Classical Greek texts and taught Western Europeans. Byzantine artists brought iconographies and showed to Western Europeans advanced techniques. There is no doubt that Byzantine art was the foundation of Italian art during Renaissance. Eventually, Italian and other Western European artists surpassed their teachers, Byzantines.
The period of Enlighment followed Renaissance, in 17th and 18th century. Some Enlightment thinkers criticized Byzantium although they owe a lot to Byzantines. Hellenic (Greek) texts and ideas had strong influcence on Enlightment. These were preserved and brought to Western Europe by Byzantines. The criticism against Byzantine Empire had religious reasons.
Although few Enlightment thinkers were Christians, most were Atheists, Agnostics or Deists. Byzantine Empire was indeed religious Orthodox Christian and people like Voltaire did not like that at all and were biased against it. Voltaire was against Christianity generally and criticized heavily Roman Catholic Church as well. "Kill the Jesuits, kill the Church" was a phrase Voltaire and other Enlightment thinkers used.
Voltaire may have been an Enlightment thinker but he certainly lacked objectivity. He blamed others for fanatism but he was also really fanatic about his ideas. He distrusted people and detested democracy. He believed that people with his ideas were elites and should govern the rest. Those that did not have similar ideas with him were inferior, according to his views.
Supposedly he supported rational thinking but he made logical fallacies. Fanatism obstucts rationality and objectivity. He compared two things that are incomparable, Byzantine Empire with Enlightment. He should have compared Byzantine Empire with Western Europe, during the same periods. There is no comparison, it was like day and night. Byzantine Empire was much more advanced and prosperous.
Voltaire and others criticized Byzantine Empire for religious intolerance, while in fact there was a lot more religious tolerance compared to Western Europe, especially towards Jews. Also Voltaire viewed Byzantine Empire as stagnant while Western Europe was a lot more stagnant during the same period. It is Voltaire's and other Enlightment thinkers' opinions that have resulted in a not so positive view of Byzantine Empire.
Compared to Voltaire's beliefs, Byzantine Empire had religious intolerance but compared to Western Europe at the same period, it was a lot more tolerant. Voltaire was born two and a half centuries after the sack of Constantinople by Ottomans. If Byzantine Empire had continued to exist, it may have continued being more tolerant than Western Europe.
There is absolutely no doubt that Byzantine Empire was a lot more advanced and prosperous than Western Europe. Was it the most advanced area in the world? It was certainly one of the most advanced areas and probably the most advanced. Its competitor was not Western Europe. Initially it was Persian Sasanian Empire and later Islamic Caliphates and China during Tang and Song dynasties.
Byzantine Empire surpassed Western Europe in all areas at all times. Western Europe started catching up only towards the end of the Empire, during its worst period, after the sack of Constantinople by Western European Crusaders (1204 AD). Unlike with Western Europe, Byzantine Empire did not surpass its three competitors in all areas, all of the time. At certain periods, they surpassed Byzantine Empire is some areas.
Overall, Byzantine Empire was more advanced than its three competitors in most areas for most of the time. In that sense, Byzantine Empire was the most advanced in the world. However, someone would have to carefully examine period by period and area by area in order to have a more complete and accurate comparison of Byzantine Empire with its three competitors in advancement, Persia (Iran), Islamic Caliphates, China.
During Ottoman rule, progress in Byzantine territory stopped and reversed. While Western Europe was advancing, Balkans and the rest of Byzantine territory did not. Western Europe owes much of its economic progress to the exploitation of colonies during colonization and later to industrial revolution that followed agricultural revolution. When Balkans regained their independence, they were too far behind Western Europe.
We can't know with certainty what the situation would be today, if Ottomans did not sack Constantinople in 1453 AD or if Byzantines were able to recapture the capital. Most likely, there wouldn't be Byzantine Empire anymore. But contemporary countries that are in what was Byzantine territory would be more advanced and prosperous than Western Europe because Byzantine Empire always was.