拜占庭知识分子的一般特征

The General Features of the Byzantine Intelligentsia

拜占庭知识分子身处古典文化传统的氛围,自觉或者不自觉地受到古典文明的熏陶,并自然而然地具有以古典文化为其底蕴的特征。君士坦丁大帝推行"基督教化"政策后,基督教便迅速演变为国教信仰,拜占庭知识分子也因此经历了基督教化的过程,成为拜占庭东正教信仰的主要力量,积极参与帝国教俗文化建设,也必然形成了其重要的特征。拜占庭知识分子作为皇权专制官僚系统的骨干力量,在高效服务皇帝、忠诚服从皇帝的同时,享受着底层人民的劳动成果,这一特征也非常鲜明。

The intelligentsia of Byzantium possessed the traditional features of the classical Greek and Roman,because they lived in the area with traditional classical atmosphere,being consciously and unconsciously edified by the classical civilization.They had experienced changes in Christianization after Emperor Constantine the Great’s religion policy,which was the legalization of Christian Church with Christianity changing into the state religion.They believed in this religion,supported the Emperor’s policies,and became the major and essential section of Christian Church of Byzantium.Therefore,these also came to be their distinctive features.In addition,the intelligentsia of Byzantium shared another typical features:as an important mainstay section of the Byzantine Empire bureaucracy,they provided efficient service to the Empire with their loyalty to the Emperor while they enjoyed their personal emoluments from the Emperor.