The thesis examines some aspects of violence in Byzantium. Violence is defined as the act of inflicting physical bodily harm: torture, mutilation, and killing. The thesis considers four areas of study I which represent most facets of the political, social, and religious life in Byzantium. Chapter one examines the exercise of violence by the State in its capacity to wage war and in applying punishment prescribed by the penal law. The violence committed either for the protection or the elimination of the occupant of the imperial throne is also examined. Chapter two examines the Church's position on violence as exemplified in the provisions of the canon law, the circumstances for tolerating or rejecting it, and cases where Violence was perpetrated against ecclesiastics either from laymen or by its own members. Chapter three examines Violence exercised by the warrior saints, the stratelates, as assistant and protectors of the people, or who chastised them when the need arose. Chapter four deals with violence committed by individuals or groups within the personal and public realm. This examination establishes the argument that while violence was fundamentally rejected as inimical to the life of Christians, it was accepted as having a salutary effect when it was exercised as a deterrent in matters of discipline through the legal system, and in war.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:572813 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Meitanis, Andreas |
| Publisher | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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