81. Jews in the Byzantine Empire (Jewish History Lab)

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Hello everyone! It seems that something funky is going on behind the scenes; the video wouldn't allow a live chat. I'm here with you, though! I guess the best we can do is enter comments here. Enjoy in good health!

[@ZAT_MORN_Pelincan-Theory]

Rabbi, there is great opportunity and it’s my website. It will allow you to keep online presence without losing faith in the scriptures. Biggest social media jobs are to gather people which forces regular folks go to the club as well. However, since they’re probably millions of rabbis, not available right now. However, sending tithe to this channel and making sure will keep the vacancy intact till the website is done. Best of luck

[@fuqaimi]

God bless your efforts in showcasing the jewish people history to the world!keep it coming!

[@brutallyreliablereviews2627]

I’ve now seen all 81 of your Jewish history lab lectures and would just like to say, thank you so much. You’ve allowed me to learn so much about my history and thus learn so much about myself. You are a phenomenal teacher. Shalom!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you found the lectures useful. More coming!

[@Darkev77]

Coming from Blogging Theology; thanks for the academic insights you provide, truly educational

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Nice to have you with us!

[@senecanzallanute4066]

I understand that not everything can be said in 20 min, yet, accuracy is necessary when studying history. In 337 CE there was only one Roman empire, divided into two administrative subdivisions (Eastern and Western part, each governed by an emperor) but the empire was still only one. It is anachronistic (and erroneous) to call the Eastern empire 'Byzantine', a term that was not used at the time. Even after the dissolution of the Western empire, which occurred gradually after the battle of Adrianopolis in 378 CE, the emperor in Constantinople called himself Pantocrator ton Romaion -- governor of the Romans. He saw himself as the lawful ruler of the entire empire and repeatedly tried to take back Italy from the Gothic tribes that had occupied it.

[@tallmikbcroft6937]

A very interesting subject. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@nikosz66]

My father - a Christian Orthodox - was born in 1925 and raised in Chalkis, Evia island, place of the most ancient synagogue of Europe. He and his Jewish classmates were so much bonded that in the great Orthodox Celebrations all of them would v i s i t the local church. These ancient Greek Jews were called Romaniotes. For many many centuries they spoke Greek (unlike the Sephardi ) as their first language, dressed like the common Greeks and were absolutely incorporated in our country. The town honours a significant local higher Greek Jewish Army officer and Hero of WWII (Mordehai Frizis) with a central statue of his, while Greece was one of the few European countries to pass ALL the estate property of the perished Greek Jews to the Greek Jewish Central Community (and not confiscate it).

[@Jsmith2024]

Thank you very much for this. I am not a Jew, but I am a Christian and student of Byzantine history so I come to this from a slightly different angle. A couple of minor points about your excellent presentation: I think it's worth noting that the Byzantines never considered themselves "Byzantines," they always saw themselves as Romans; hence the importance of Justinian I retaking Rome from the Ostrogoths. Also, the city was called Constantinople until 1930, when it was changed to Istanbul.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Agreed, particularly the bit about considering themselves the inheritors of the Roman Empire.

[@dggmn2109]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD They did not consider themselves inheritors of the Roman Empire they were the Eastern Roman Empire as the west had fallen to the barbarians, excellent work have learned so much about Jewish history.

[@joelthorne7434]

As a professional historian, would you recommend that students of Jewish history expand their studies to include Roman and Byzantine history?

[@zoookx]

Byzantine Empire" is a term created after the end of the realm; its citizens continued to refer to their empire simply as the Roman Empire (Medieval Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων, romanized: Basileía Rhōmaíōn) or Romania (Medieval Greek: Ῥωμανία), and to themselves as Romans (Medieval Greek: Ῥωμαῖοι, romanized: Rhōmaîoi) - a term which Greeks continued to use for themselves into Ottoman times. Although the Roman state continued and its traditions were maintained, modern historians distinguish Byzantium from its earlier incarnation because it was centred on Constantinople, oriented towards Greek rather than Latin culture, and characterised by Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

[@TTuoTT]

It's strange to first make the case that it's rightfully the "Eastern Roman Empire", just to back back down with justifications why it is called "Byzantium": Yeah, that's just the region west of the Bosporus. It's the Eastern Roman Empire, quite easy and nothing to argue about.

[@zoookx]

@@TTuoTT What was odd to me is map where whole Roman Empire is divided into Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. Byzantine Empire is an anachronism in this case. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire

[@smithmcsmith9218]

Thank you for your work Henry!

[@johnlansing2902]

Again thank you for adding to my education.

[@linak7155]

Haman. Boo! My husband will often say, how would you like to be Jewish? It baffles me how much persecution the Jewish ppl hv endured throughout every generation.

[@JaneDoe-ij4ls]

Thank you so much ❤️, Sir. There's so much to learn❤️.

[@PC-lu3zf]

The Rise of Islam in the 7th Century was the direct Result of the fall of Rome according to my Former University Professor. Eastern Empire was not strong enough to stop the tide of its rapid spread. Great lecture.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found it useful!

[@jcnwillemsen]

Thank you, can you please elaborate on what the origins is for the hostile stance on Judaism in this period?

[@tomsuiteriii9742]

This should be interesting. There is generally less attention given to Jewish communities that fell under the shadow of Constantinople rather than the empire in the West. Hopefully you’ll take your time as we study our way through this era.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

It's just a brief video for now. I plan to expand this discussion in the print version.

[@tomsuiteriii9742]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD Good to hear. I have one minor detail I would like some clarification on that perhaps you could address either here or in the book: it seems that the name “Istanbul” as applied to Constantinople is commonly thought to originate in the Turkish conquest of the city in 1453, however some have pointed-out that the Ottomans never renamed the city, and it was only officially re-named Istanbul with the beginning on the Turkish Republic (1923). Interested to hear your thoughts.

[@linak7155]

So very instructive, thank you!

[@lilianawolosin109]

Thank you. Very interesting.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! Thank you for being a public subscriber!

[@drgeorgek]

Not sure if I have missed an upload on this as there are so many to look through, but if not done, I’d like to see a review of the history of Jews in Greece. My father is from Corfu where a significant population exists to this day. Sadly most Greek Jews were exterminated by the Nazis, with very few remaining, many of these still in Corfu.

[@barbaratea4701]

Thank you again for such an informative lesson. Interesting how these saints in the balkins had knowledge and used some Hebrew in their scriptures.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found it interesting!

[@WorldNewsandComment]

Thanks as always.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

My pleasure!

[@nophotoplease1]

Thank you for such a great lecture! Were 9th century Byzantine Iconoclasts inveighing against Jews just as a convenient “heretical” scapegoat for their own theological agenda or did they view Jews as having some corrupting influence? I ask this question knowing full well the heated debate that exist (and in fact continues to exist) within Jewish circles around the display of human-form images in religious settings. Considering the fact that archaeological discoveries indicate how synagogues of that era did actually contain mosaic reliefs depicting human/angelic forms, might this have played a role too?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found it useful! My understanding is that the Iconoclasts directed their ire primarily at other Christians. You are correct regarding the representation of human figures in Jewish art--for much of the medieval period, there was a significant hesitancy to do so, but there are some notable exceptions like the Dura Europos and Beit Alpha synagogues.

[@zafirjoe18]

The most powerful piyut of the slichot. ישראל נושע בה תשועת עולמים was composed by Rebi Shefatye of Bari ( southern Italy) in ninth century Byzantine . It’s so powerful you can actually feel the persecution and the oppression of the Jews by Greek church for hundreds of years , while reciting the piyut ,with that special heart stirring melody that comes with it . The piyut only survives in Ashkenazi liturgy, an indication that the roots of Ashkenazi Jewery starts in Byzantine. Makes its way up to Luca Tuscany , were the Klonimus (Shem Tov in Greek)family live . From there they relocate by invitation of Charlemagne to live along the Rhine. Here the great Yeshiva in Mainz which was visited by Rav Hai Gaon flourished. In Mainz one can visit the grave of רבנא משולם בר קלונומוס איש רומי(Italian)

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Very interesting!

[@zafirjoe18]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD It seems like his son Amitai (אמיתי)lived through even a more traumatic Byzantine experience . He’s pleading with Hashem to give the Yidden a little bit of space. It’s so powerful as though there is nothing left , the Jews were completely wrung out . But still clinging on. מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ הִתְגַּלְגְּלִי וְלִפְנֵי קוֹנֵךְ תְּחִנָּתֵנוּ הַפִּילִי וּבְעַד עַמֵּךְ רַחֲמִים שַׁאֲלִי כִּי כָל לֵבָב דַּוָּי וְכָל רֹאשׁ לָחֳלִי תָּמַכְתִּי יְתֵדוֹתַי בִּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה תֵבוֹת וּבְשַׁעֲרֵי דְמָעוֹת כִּי לֹא נִשְׁלָבוֹת לָכֵן שָׁפַכְתִּי שִׂיחַ פְּנֵי בוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת בָּטוּחַ אֲנִי בָּאֵלֶּה וּבִזְכוּת שְׁלֹשֶׁת אָבוֹת יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל בְּכִיוֹת שֶׁתָּשִׂים דִּמְעוֹתֵינוּ בְּנֹאדְךָ לִהְיוֹת וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת כִּי לְךָ לְבַד עֵינֵינוּ תְלוּיוֹת

[@davidmackie8552]

Thankyou!

[@bingeltube]

Your short excursion on the influence on the Cyrillic script was a very interesting tidbit! Thanks for also mentioning that Russia is sort of the third Roman empire. Many people do not seem to be aware of that, but it explains to some extent the expansionary tendencies of Russia.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found it useful!

[@teknikai9304]

At 11:00 there is a spelling mistake on "Constantinople" on your graphic. Please rectify. Thanks

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Oy, if I went back to correct all the errors, there would likely be very few videos on the channel! I'm relying on viewers to imagine I spelled it correctly.

[@gregcollins7602]

Great stuff.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you so much!

[@TheManCaveYTChannel]

Byzantine empire is the Roman Empire.

[@vladimirdavydov9987]

Hello. Please make a presentation regarding Jews of central Asia and Mt. jews. i’m curious of their origins historically. Thanks

[@Ulyssestnt]

The Byzantine empire was also the Roman empire,only the eastern part which survived longer. Only westerners dubbed it byzantine empire in the early modern period. The Samaritans and a few jews revolted in the 6th century,and was brutally put down.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for commenting.

[@gostandinostheodossiou6727]

By DNA most Jewish ancestors from Mediterranean are based on the islands all around the Mediterranean and North Africa from either Sephardic roots or from the first temple from Moroccan Jewish but not matching Sephardic ancestors like myself and from Samaritans just before asyrian empire took over

[@DanSmith-pm4gv]

Mr. Abramson, Can you please open Comments on the video? Oct 8, 2013 Who Was Josephus? Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson

[@melodyh9720]

Always enjoy these history lessons! Thank you.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you!

[@Rita1984]

I dont think the shin and Cyrillic letter are related in that way. It could have come from Greek like the P sound.

[@zoookx]

2:08 Western Roman Empire...

[@tripye420]

Im a roman catholic deus vult jesus christus

[@slotenmakerdenhaag]

If you want people to take you seriously you can’t talk of Israel during the byzantine empire. It’s nonsense.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Wait till you get to the cheesy jokes.

[@slotenmakerdenhaag]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD I am being serious. I enjoy your lectures very much but I cannot abide any form of self-dellusion about the modern state of Israel, the history of its coming about, including its impact on Palestinians and the serious implications of Jewish colonialism, or even imperialism, with respect to how Jewish history will be viewed in light of horrific Human Rights abuses, racism, corruption, environmental damage, threats and actual war, interference in foreign policy etc. I am sure you will agree that the study of history should have some point, not merely that of making us proud of some heritage, but surely also to warn us of the damage that might ensue from certain acts. While your accounts seem well researched I fail to see you drawing certain conclusions with respect to the present. And to me, your allusions to "Israel" as an existing entity at the time of the Byzantine empire seems emblematic. It is a falsehood pure and simple, but one that reveals a strong bias with respect to the present, and therefore, an inability to apply the lessons of history in any meaningful way. Would you be capable of entertaining the idea that the Jews were not simply passive victims of history, but also active participants forging their own destiny? And if so, why can't we also ask, whether the present so-called "Palestinian-Israeli conflict" is less a question of Jews once again being 'victims' but perhaps also being perpetrators? And how? What are the roots of this within Jewish history, culture and religion? Surely, as a historian who has done so much research you have some ideas about this? If Judaism is so important to you, let's hear what you have to say on the matter!

[@غاليةعيدوعجم]

​@@HenryAbramsonPhDcorrect my brother Do not respond to this devil criminal