Daily Life: Byzantium
A ten‑minute glimpse into the homes, food, work, markets, family life, clothing and adornment of Constantinople’s citizens.
Chapters
On-screen text
- 0:07 Homes and Hearth
- 0:23 Multi‑room houses with atrium and garden Historical record · Procopius, De Aedificiis, 2.5
- 0:41 Under‑floor heating in palace rooms Historical record · Excavation report, Great Palace hypocaust, Istanbul Archaeological Museum
- 0:59 Bronze kitchenware in palace kitchen Historical record · Excavation report, Tekfur Sarayı (Palace of the Porphyrogenitus), 1972
- 1:17 Mosaic shows communal baker’s oven Historical record · Mosaic of the baker, Istanbul Archaeological Museum, 6th c.
- 1:26 Food and Markets
- 1:33 Food and Markets
- 1:50 Fish market on the Golden Horn Historical record · Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle, entry for 806
- 2:17 Silk weaving workshop in Galata Historical record · Galata archaeological report, 1998
- 2:35 Public baths open to all citizens Historical record · Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle, entry for 806
- 2:44 Work, Trade and Dress
- 2:51 Work, Trade and Dress
- 3:17 Family and Play
- 3:24 Constantinople, Byzantine Empire, 10th c.
- 4:02 Byzantine marriage banquet, gifts exchanged Historical record
- 4:50 Gold filigree earrings adorn women The Institute's interpretation
- 5:33 How did Byzantine children learn their roles?
Sources
Historical record: Procopius, De Aedificiis, 2.5 · Excavation report, Great Palace hypocaust, Istanbul Archaeological Museum · Excavation report, Tekfur Sarayı (Palace of the Porphyrogenitus), 1972 · Mosaic of the baker, Istanbul Archaeological Museum, 6th c. · Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle, entry for 806 · Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, De Administrando Imperio, Book 5 · Galata archaeological report, 1998 · Constantine VII, De Ceremoniis, Chapter 12 · Anna Komnene, Alexiad, Book 5 · Mosaic of the Hippodrome, Istanbul Archaeological Museum, 6th c. · Burial of St. John the Baptist church, Istanbul Museum of Archaeology, 9th c.
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 152 s of CPU.
Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (16) — the next things to make
- Homes and Hearth: Show how Byzantine houses were built, heated and equipped for daily life.
- A market table with loaves of bread, barley grain, olive oil jars, and a platter of grilled fish.
- A court procession with men in flowing silk chlamys, gold embroidery catching the light, attendants bowing.
- A court procession with men in flowing silk chlamys, gold embroidery catching the light, attendants bowing.
- A workshop street with craftsmen hammering metal, carving wood, and a guild sign hanging above.
- A bustling Hippodrome side‑street with stalls covered by striped awnings, merchants displaying colorful fabrics and spice sacks.
- A bustling Hippodrome side‑street with stalls covered by striped awnings, merchants displaying colorful fabrics and spice sacks.
- A close‑up of a woman's hand wearing delicate gold earrings, a candlelit interior of a burial chamber.
- A close‑up of a woman's hand wearing delicate gold earrings, a candlelit interior of a burial chamber.
- Close-up of exchanged gifts: a jeweled brooch, a silver cup engraved with vines, and a small gold‑wrapped pouch.
- A mother sits on a cushioned mat, reading a moral tale aloud while attentive children lean forward, eyes wide.
- Children line up beads on a string, counting aloud as their mother gently corrects miscounts, fostering early numeracy.
- A father and son work together at a wooden bench, carving simple shapes while sharing quiet jokes.
- A mother hands a small loaf of bread to a child, praising his careful top‑spinning skills.
- An elder woman leans toward a teenage girl, gesturing gently as she imparts advice on proper conduct.
- A quiet courtyard at dusk, silhouettes of families gathered, the air filled with soft murmurs of bedtime prayers.