AP Art History
Byzantium – Chapter 9
Mrs. Cook
1. Look at the images in the chapter discuss some of the similarities you see with the previous chapter in theme
and style.
2. What is the most spectacular building in northern Italy during the Byzantine Empire? What are some of its
design features? (255)
3. What (besides the geographical area) does “Byzantine” refer to? (256)
4. Ironically, the people in the Byzantine Empire called themselves “Romans” but they spoke ______________
.(256)
5. Byzantium was a unifying force in religion, alphabet, architecture, art, and a buffer from expanding Islam.
However, it finally fell to the more powerful empire of the _________________ _________________ in 1453.
(257)
6. What was the Vienna Dioskorides about? (258)
7. Art historians regard the reign of the emperor Justinian as Byzantium’s first ____________ _______ where
________ Roman Empire briefly rivaled the old Roman Empire in power and extent. (258)
8. In the 6th century, Justinian proclaimed Christianity the Empire’s only lawful religion, specifically the
___________ ____________ doctrine. (258)The central article of faith was three aspects. What were they?
(258)
9. Read the insert on page 259 about “emperors.” Compare Justiian as world conqueror and Marcus Aurelius.
10. Who built the Hagia Sophia church? List both architects and what were their professions? (260)
11. Why did its patron, Justinian, want it to be so grand? (260)
12. What architectural feature was added later when it was converted into an Islamic mosque? (261)
13. How wide and long is the enormous church? How big is the dome? It seems like the dome is suspended by a
_________ chain from _________. (260-261)
14. Why were Byzantine churches plain on the outside and beautiful on the inside? (261)
15. What is different about this dome and the one on the Pantheon? How many windows does it have? (261)
16. What did the architects do to make it look like the dome was suspended in air almost as if the church were
crowded with a halo? (262)
17. Carefully read about the pendentives as well as the architectural basic green insert on this page. It explains
how this dome differs from the Pantheon. It uses ________________ and ________________ to transfer the
weight of the dome to the piers (basically it put a hemispheric dome on a square base.) This allowed them to
pierce the walls below the dome with ________________ unlike the Pantheon which only has the oculus as a
source of light. (262)
18. By combining a central plan with a basilica, the Hagia Sophia is basically a __________ ____________.(262)
19. San Vitale is a church in Ravenna built in the geometric shape of a ________________. (263)
20. The most glorious aspect of San Vitale is its interior mosaics covering most of its walls. What is the theme of
the mosaic in the apse vault? (This signifies one of the last shepherd images). (264)
21. As the book states, the mosaic plays both a “dual political and religious role”. Name 2 things that the artist does
to make it look like Justinian rules by divine right (powers granted from God). BTW, the Justinian Mosaic was a
prior AP exam. The AP question was similar to above.(264)
22. What 3 groups are represented in the mosaic? What religious symbol is on the army’s shield? (264)
23. What do you notice about the feet and drapery and background of the mosaic that is uniquely Byzantine, and so
different from works like the Ara Pacis in the classical world? Give three examples.(264-265)
24. What does Justinian carry in his arms in the mosaic (Justinian and Attendants)? (264-265)
25. What does Theodora carry in her arms in her mosaic (Theodora and Attendants)? (264-265)
26. The mosaic in and above the apse in Saint Apollinaire (also in Ravenna) shows a variety of symbols. In the apse
we see the four Evangelists in a metaphorical representation. Learn the symbols of each:
Matthew = angel
Mark = lion
Luke = ox
John = eagle
Who is depicted with raised arms and the accompaniment of 12 sheep just above the four evangelists?(266-267)
27. Many Byzantine words show the Christ figure in a mandorla. What is a mandorla? If you lived in a monastery,
would you eat in the oratory or the refrectory? (267)
AP Art History
Byzantium – Chapter 9
Mrs. Cook
28. The insert on p.269 describes why some felt icons (as well as statues, etc.) were not only a symbol of the pagan
past, but also a cause for breaking a commandment. What commandment did the “break”? It is important that
you read and understand the definition of the word icon. What was an icon? (259)
29. Figure 9-18 is typical of a Byzantine icon. The foreground figures are f___________ and the faces have a
______________ demeanor. (270)
30. One of the most beautiful mosaics was created post iconoclasm. It is the Theotokos (fig 9-19) in the Hagia
Sophia in Turkey (867 AD). What does Theokotos mean? (270)
31. Saint Mark’s with future remodels, looked less Byzantine on the outside, it always remained Byzantine on the
inside. The gleaming gold mosaics cover some __________ interior square surfaces feet. (274)
32. In this Italian Byzantine, the Pantokrator appears above the apse. What does Pantokrator mean? (275)
33. Diptychs moved to Triptychs with #____ pieced panels with hinges making them portable. The one 9-28 is also
made out of _______________. (275)
34. Mention one Greco-Roman influence in the illuminated manuscript folio about David from the Paris Psalter in
figure 9-30. (276-277)
35. One of the most famous icons from the 11th and 12th century is the __________ ______________. (277)
36. Define iconostasis. How does it relate to these icons? (279)
37. In later Byzantine art, icons were painted on ________ sides because they were intended for processions.(279)
38. Although many of the Byzantine artist’s names are unknown, one master painter from Russia is known. He did
The Three Angles in 9-35. Who is he?
39. When the second Rome___________ fell to the Turks, the final and third Rome persisted and became the
continuum of Byzantine heritage. TheThird Rome was_____________. (280)