The Chrysotriklinos ( Greek : Χρυσοτρίκλινος , "golden reception hall", cf. triclinium ), Latinized as Chrysotriclinus or Chrysotriclinium , was the main reception and ceremonial hall of the Great Palace of Constantinople from its construction, in the late 6th century, until the 10th century. Its appearance is known only through literary descriptions, chiefly the 10th-century De Ceremoniis , a collection of imperial ceremonies, but, as the chief symbol of imperial power, it inspired the construction of Charlemagne 's Palatine Chapel in Aachen .
55-766: The hall is usually attributed to Emperor Justin II (r. 565–578), with his successor, Tiberius II (r. 578–582) finishing it and carrying out its decoration. However, Byzantine sources present conflicting accounts: the Suda encyclopedia attributes the building to Justin I (r. 518–527), and the Patria of Constantinople to the Emperor Marcian (r. 450–457), although the latter is usually rejected as unreliable. The historian Joannes Zonaras records that Justin II in fact reconstructed an earlier building, which has been suggested as
110-638: A banquet hall for special feasts, like Easter. The Chrysotriklinos thus became the central part of the new Boukoleon Palace , formed when Emperor Nikephoros II (r. 963–969) enclosed the southern, seaward part of the Great Palace with a wall. From the late 11th century however, the Byzantine emperors began to prefer the Blachernae Palace , in the northwestern corner of the city, as their residence. The Latin emperors (1204–1261) chiefly used
165-422: A card to open. ATM vestibules may also contain security devices, such as panic alarms and CCTV , to help prevent criminal activity. The vestibule on a railway passenger car is an enclosed area at the end of the car body, usually separated from the main part of the interior by a door, which is power-operated on most modern equipment. Entrance to and exit from the car is through the side doors, which lead into
220-534: A gift to Justin, but also proposed an alliance against Sassanid Persia. Justin agreed and sent an embassy to the Turkic Khaganate, ensuring the direct silk trade desired by the Sogdians. In 1937, the historian Previte-Orton described Justin as "a rigid man, dazzled by his predecessor's glories, to whom fell the task of guiding an exhausted, ill-defended Empire through a crisis of the first magnitude and
275-618: A greatly enlarged but overextended empire, with far fewer resources at his disposal compared to Justinian I. He ended the payment of tributes and adopted a hardline stance against the empire's neighbors, which resulted in rekindling of war with the Sassanid Empire , and in a Lombard invasion which cost the Romans much of their territory in Italy . He was a son of Vigilantia and Dulcidio (sometimes rendered as Dulcissimus), respectively
330-610: A more reconciliatory stance toward the senatorial class . On 1 January 566, he became a consul , thereby reviving a post Justinian had discontinued since 541. Justin and Sophia initially promised to make peace with Justin's cousin and rival to the throne, Justin (son of Germanus ), but had him assassinated in Alexandria not long after. According to a hostile source, the imperial couple kicked his severed head. In 566 he reversed Justinian's ban on divorce by mutual consent, declaring that it resulted in spouses hating each other. Under
385-411: A new movement of peoples". Previte-Orton continues, In foreign affairs he took the attitude of the invincible, unbending Roman, and in the disasters which his lack of realism occasioned, his reason ultimately gave way. It was foreign powers which he underrated and hoped to bluff by a lofty inflexibility, for he was well aware of the desperate state of the finances and the army and of the need to reconcile
440-411: A prominent feature of their palace architecture. These vestibules would sometimes include a fountain or large statue. The Genoese vestibule was large and exaggerated, and seemed "rather designed to accommodate a race of giants". In contemporary usage, a vestibule constitutes an area surrounding the exterior door. It acts as an antechamber between the exterior and the interior structure. Often it connects
495-415: A set of outer doors, the intent being to reduce air infiltration to the building by having only one set of doors open at any given time. An ATM vestibule is an enclosed area with automated teller machines that is attached to the outside of a building, but typically features no further entrance to the building and is not accessible from within. There may be a secure entrance to the vestibule which requires
550-471: A vestibule and the following space is better illustrated by the—so called— entrance (15) to the main gallery in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright . Many government buildings mimic the classical architecture from which the vestibule originates. A purely utilitarian use of vestibules in modern buildings is to create an airlock entry. Such vestibules consist of a set of inner doors and
605-469: Is a small room leading into a larger space such as a lobby , entrance hall , or passage , for the purpose of waiting, withholding the larger space from view, reducing heat loss, providing storage space for outdoor clothing, etc. The term applies to structures in both modern and classical architecture since ancient times. In antiquity, antechambers were employed as transitional spaces leading to more significant rooms, such as throne rooms in palaces or
SECTION 10
#1732775880620660-528: Is difficult for this to be maintained for all mankind – in such a large population, it is outside the realms of possibility that some unreasonable enmities should not supervene – we have thought it appropriate to devise some remedy for this, in particular where the consequences of pettiness have escalated so far as to engender real, irreconcilable hatred between the partners. Faced with an empty treasury, he discontinued Justinian's practice of buying off potential enemies. Immediately after his accession, Justin halted
715-616: The 1 ⁄ 4 and 3 ⁄ 4 of length positions (typical on modern suburban stock). The U.S. Department of Energy Building Energy Codes Program released a publication on 19 June 2018, which detailed the requirements of a vestibule to be used in commercial buildings. The publication states it requires vestibules to reduce the amount of air that infiltrates a space in order to aid in energy conservation, as well as increasing comfort near entrance doors. By creating an air lock entry, vestibules reduce infiltration losses or gains caused by wind. Designers of commercial buildings must install
770-417: The naos in temples. In ancient Roman architecture , a vestibule ( Latin : vestibulum ) was a partially enclosed area between the interior of the house and the street. In modern architecture, a vestibule is typically a small room next to the outer door and connecting it with the interior of the building. Vestibules were common in ancient Greek temples. Due to the construction techniques available at
825-405: The praepositus sacri cubiculi , seems to have been the only witness to his dying moments, and later claimed that Justinian had designated "Justin, Vigilantia's son" as his heir in a deathbed decision. The clarification was needed because there was another relative and candidate for the throne, Justin , son of Germanus , cousin of Justinian. Modern historians suspect Callinicus may have fabricated
880-579: The Hippodrome of Constantinople . Both the Patriarch and Tiberius , commander of the Excubitors , had been recently appointed, with Justin having played a part in their respective appointments, in his role as Justinian's curopalates . Their willingness to elevate their patron and ally to the throne was hardly surprising. In the early days of his reign Justin paid his uncle's debts and took
935-545: The Justinianos , both attributed to Justinian II (r. 685–695 and 705–711). The Theotokos of the Pharos , the main palace chapel, was also located nearby, to the south or south-east. Nothing is known of the hall's original, 6th-century decoration. There was most likely an image of the enthroned Christ, which would have been destroyed around 730, during the era of Byzantine Iconoclasm . Sometime between 856 and 866, after
990-651: The Monophysites ." After 572, Justin was reported to have fits of insanity. John of Ephesus , whose Monophysite sect suffered persecutions under Justin, offered a vivid description of Justin's madness, in which he behaved like a wild animal, was wheeled about on a mobile throne and required organ music to be played day and night. In 574, at Sophia's suggestion, he adopted the general Tiberius as his son and heir, and then retired in his favor. On 7 December, according to Theophylact Simocatta , Justin remained sufficiently clear-minded to make an eloquent speech as he passed
1045-497: The Pentapyrgion ("Five Towers"), a cupboard built by Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842) that displayed precious vases, crowns and other valuable objects. During imperial banquets, it featured a gilded principal table for thirty high-ranking dignitaries, as well as two to four additional tables for 18 persons each. On occasion, the emperor is described as having his own table, set apart from the rest. The full ceremonial splendor of
1100-791: The Three-Chapter Controversy . In 559, he was sent by Justinian to escort the Kutrigur raiders retreating across the Danube . In 562 and 563, he was in charge of dissipating the urban riots caused by the circus factions in Constantinople . Over time, he built a network of supporters in the court. In the early 560s, his wife Sophia and his supporters were said to have pleaded with Justinian to name him as caesar , albeit unsuccessfully. Justinian I died childless on 14 November 565. Callinicus [ pl ] ,
1155-462: The prothyron (πρόθυρον), the thyroreion (θυρωρεῖον; lit. ' porter's lodge ' ), and the proaulion (προαύλιον). The vestibule in ancient Greek homes served as a barrier to the outside world, and also added security to discourage unwanted entrance into the home and unwanted glances into the home. The vestibule's alignment at right angles of private interior spaces, and the use of doors and curtains also added security and privacy from
SECTION 20
#17327758806201210-743: The Avars and the neighbouring tribe of the Lombards had combined to destroy the Gepids , from whom Justin had obtained the Danube fortress of Sirmium , Avar pressure caused the Lombards to migrate West, and in 568 they invaded Italy under their king Alboin . They quickly overran the Po Valley , and within a few years they had made themselves masters of nearly the entire country. The Avars themselves crossed
1265-699: The Boukoleon, and so did, for a time after the recovery of the city in 1261, Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282) while the Blachernae Palace was being restored. Subsequently, the Great Palace was rarely used and gradually fell into decay. The Chrysotriklinos is mentioned for the last time in 1308, although the still-impressive ruins of the Great Palace remained in place until the end of the Byzantine Empire. Despite its prominence and frequent mention in Byzantine texts, no full description of
1320-789: The Byzantine Empire from China by Nestorian Christian monks, the 6th-century Byzantine historian Menander Protector writes of how the Sogdians attempted to establish a direct trade of Chinese silk with the Byzantine Empire. After forming an alliance with the Sassanid ruler Khosrow I to defeat the Hephthalite Empire , Istämi , the Göktürk ruler of the Western Turkic Khaganate , was approached by Sogdian merchants requesting permission to seek an audience with
1375-721: The Chrysotriklinos is ever given. From the fragmented literary evidence, the hall appears to have been of octagonal shape crowned by a dome, paralleling other 6th-century buildings like the Church of Sergius and Bacchus in Constantinople and the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna . The roof was pierced by 16 windows and supported by 8 arches, which formed kamarai ( apses or niches ). The shape and general features of
1430-542: The Chrysotriklinos were later consciously imitated by Charlemagne in the construction of the Palatine Chapel of the Palace of Aachen , although San Vitale, being located within his realm, provided the immediate architectural model. In its interior, the imperial throne was placed on the eastern apse (the bēma ), behind a bronze railing. The northeastern apse was known as the "oratory of St Theodore". It contained
1485-583: The Danube in 573 or 574, when the Empire's attention was distracted by troubles on the Persian frontier. They were only placated by the payment of a subsidy of 60,000 silver pieces by Justin's successor Tiberius . The North and East frontiers were the main focus of Justin's attention. Justin began to cement an alliance with the Turks , the new Central Asian power that threatened both the Avars and Persia from
1540-648: The Heptaconch Hall of Justinian I (r. 527–565). Following the Byzantine Iconoclasm , it was embellished again under the emperors Michael III (r. 842–867) and Basil I (r. 866–886). Unlike the earlier, single-purpose buildings of the Daphne wing of the Great Palace, it combined the functions of throne room for reception and audiences with those of a banquet hall. Theophanes Continuatus states that Constantine III installed silver doors. Since
1595-572: The Sassanid king of kings for the privilege of traveling through Persian territories in order to trade with the Byzantines. Istämi refused the first request, but when he sanctioned the second one and had the Sogdian embassy sent to the Sassanid king, the latter had the members of the embassy poisoned to death. Maniah, a Sogdian diplomat, convinced Istämi to send an embassy directly to Constantinople , which arrived in 568 and offered not only silk as
1650-606: The aspect of anticipation. The residence of the White House in the United States is such an example. At the north portico , it contains a tiny vestibule between the doors flushed with the outer and inner faces of the exterior wall of, and in the past inside, the Entrance Hall (called incorrectly Vestibule ) separated from the not much bigger Cross Hall by just 2 double columns. The difference in sizes between
1705-459: The atrium. The structure was a mixture between a modern hall and porch . From the 5th century onward, churches of Eastern and Western Christianity utilized vestibules. In Roman Catholic and some Anglican churches , the vestibule is usually a spacious area which holds church information such as literature, pamphlets, and bulletin announcements, as well as holy water for worshippers. In Orthodox and Byzantine church architecture,
Chrysotriklinos - Misplaced Pages Continue
1760-442: The authority, assume the tenderness, of a parent. Love your people like yourself; cultivate the affections, maintain the discipline, of the army; protect the fortunes of the rich, relieve the necessities of the poor. Four years later, on 26 September 578, he elevated Tiberius as Augustus . Justin died only nine days later, on 5 October 578. Vestibule (architecture) A vestibule (also anteroom , antechamber , or foyer )
1815-676: The choirs of the Hagia Sophia and the Holy Apostles . Justin II Justin II ( Latin : Iustinus ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἰουστῖνος , translit. Ioustînos ; died 5 October 578) was Eastern Roman emperor from 565 until 578. He was the nephew of Justinian I and the husband of empress Sophia , the niece of the empress Theodora , and a member of the Justinian dynasty . Justin II inherited
1870-411: The crown: You behold the ensigns of supreme power. You are about to receive them, not from my hand, but from the hand of God. Honor them, and from them you will derive honor. Respect the empress your mother: you are now her son; before, you were her servant. Delight not in blood; abstain from revenge; avoid those actions by which I have incurred the public hatred; and consult the experience, rather than
1925-434: The doorway to a lobby or hallway . It is the space one occupies once passing the door, but not yet in the main interior of the building. Although vestibules such as a modified mud room are common in private residences, they are especially prevalent in more opulent buildings, such as government ones, designed to elicit a sense of grandeur by contrasting the vestibule's small space with the following greater one, and by adding
1980-524: The emperor's crown and a number of holy relics, including the rod of Moses , and also served as a dressing room for the emperor. The southern apse led to the imperial bedroom ( koitōn ), through a silver door put in place by Emperor Constantine VII. The northern apse was known as the Pantheon , a waiting-room for officials, while the northwestern apse, the Diaitarikion , served as a steward's room, and
2035-466: The example, of your predecessor. As a man, I have sinned; as a sinner, even in this life, I have been severely punished: but these servants (and he pointed to his ministers), who have abused my confidence, and inflamed my passions, will appear with me before the tribunal of Christ. I have been dazzled by the splendor of the diadem: be thou wise and modest; remember what you have been, remember what you are. You see around us your slaves, and your children: with
2090-461: The hall was reserved for special occasions, such as the banquets for Arab envoys, described in the De Ceremoniis : additional lightning was provided by great chandeliers, imperial regalia, relics and other precious items were brought from various churches and displayed in the apses, while the meal was accompanied by music from two silver and two golden organs, placed in the porch, as well as by
2145-667: The iconoclasts fell from power, the hall was redecorated with mosaics in a monumental style. In addiction to the De Ceremoniis , what is known about the 9th century decoration comes from an inscription that was found inside the hall and transcribed in the Greek Anthology 1.106. The inscription is dated by Cyril Mango between 856 and 866, due to the fact that neither Empress Theodora (r. 842–56; expelled in 856) nor Basil I (crowned co-emperor in 866 and ruled alone from 867 to 886) are mentioned. The inscription describes
2200-518: The identity of the Patriarch is uncertain; most scholars identify him as Photios , but some prefer Methodios . Elsewhere were depicted angels, priests, apostles and martyrs. The overall decoration was intended to reinforce the analogy between Christ's heavenly court and its Byzantine counterpart on earth, and the parallelism between the enthroned Christ and the enthroned Emperor, who was his representative. The late 10th-century ambassador Liutprand of Cremona does not hesitate to call it "the finest room in
2255-505: The last words of Justinian to secure the succession for his political ally. As historian Robert Browning observed: "Did Justinian really bring himself in the end to make a choice, or did Callinicus make it for him? Only Callinicus knew." In any case, Callinicus started alerting those most interested in the succession, originally various members of the Byzantine Senate . Then they jointly informed Justin and Vigilantia, offering
Chrysotriklinos - Misplaced Pages Continue
2310-470: The later imperial chambers were also attached to it, the hall acquired a central position in the everyday palace ceremonial, especially in the 9th and 10th centuries, to the point that Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 945–959) calls it simply "the palace". In particular, according to the De Ceremoniis , the Chrysotriklinos served for the reception of foreign embassies, the ceremonial conferring of dignities, as an assembly point for religious festivals and
2365-643: The mid 6th century. In 572 his refusal to pay tribute to the Persians in combination with overtures to the Turks led to a war with the Sassanid Empire. After two disastrous campaigns, in which the Persians under Khosrow I overran Syria and captured the strategically important fortress of Dara , Justin became inflicted with a severe mental illness. Shortly after the smuggling of silkworm eggs into
2420-507: The outside. The Classical Period marked a change in the need for privacy in Greek society, which ultimately led to the design and use of vestibules in Greek homes. In ancient Roman architecture , where the term originates, a vestibule ( Latin : vestibulum ) was a space that was sometimes present between the interior fauces of a building leading to the atrium and the street. Vestibules were common in ancient architecture. A Roman house
2475-479: The palace". Theophanes Continuatus describes the intricate mosaics and decorations that imitated fresh flowers and floral motifs. He also writes of a silver antux (probably a cornice) that went around the interior of the building, and states that it was installed by Constantine VII. An elaborate system of ornamented curtains was used to separate spaces, ceremonial, and direct the movement of courtiers and processionals. The hall contained valuable furniture, such as
2530-679: The payment of subsidies to the Avars , ending a truce that had existed since 558. This move upset the delicate balance of power in the Pannonian Basin , since the Avar elite were forced to seek new sources of wealth to maintain their position and client networks. At first, this was agreeable for the Romans, since the Avars decided to raid the Franks instead of going into the Roman territory. But after
2585-465: The pretext of not understanding the fragile human nature: Mankind has nothing more admirable than marriage: from it stem children and successive generations, the peopling of villages and cities, and society’s best bond. Hence, it is our prayer that marriage should be so successful for those contracting it as never to be the work of an unlucky daemon, and that married couples should not split up without just cause for their marriage to be dissolved. But as it
2640-409: The sister and brother-in-law of Justinian. His siblings included Marcellus and Praejecta . With Sophia he had a daughter Arabia and possibly a son, Justus, who died young. He also had a niece named Helena . During Justinian's reign, he served in the position of curopalates at the court. He is first attested in the sources from 552 and 553 as being part of the embassy to Pope Vigilius during
2695-606: The temple antechamber is more commonly referred to as an exonarthex . In early Christian architecture, the vestibule replaced the more extravagant atrium or quadriporticus in favor of a more simplified area to house the vase of holy water. Vestibules are common in palace architecture. The style of vestibule used in Genoa , Italy, was transformed from a previously modest design to a more ornamental structure, which satisfied Genoese aristocracy, while becoming an influential transformation for Italian palaces. The Genoese vestibule became
2750-478: The throne. Justin accepted after the traditional token show of reluctance, and with his wife Sophia, he was escorted to the Great Palace of Constantinople . The Excubitors blocked the palace entrances during the night, and early in the morning, John Scholasticus , Patriarch of Constantinople , crowned the new Augustus . Only then was the death of Justinian and the succession of Justin publicly announced in
2805-425: The time, it was not possible to build large spans. Consequently, many entranceways had two rows of columns that supported the roof and created a distinct space around the entrance. In ancient Greek houses, the prothyrum was the space just outside the door of a house, which often had an altar to Apollo or a statue, or a laurel tree. In elaborate houses or palaces, the vestibule could be divided into three parts,
SECTION 50
#17327758806202860-625: The triumph of Orthodoxy over Iconoclasm and the decoration of the room. The text describes how above the imperial throne was an image of Christ enthroned, while an image over the entrance depicted the Virgin Mary , with images of the Emperor and the Patriarch nearby. Christ was most likely seated on a "lyre-backed" throne, the same image seen in imperial coins and other Byzantine mosaics. The emperor can be identified as Michael III , while
2915-401: The vestibule. When passenger cars are coupled, their vestibules are joined by mating faceplate and diaphragm assemblies to create a weather-tight seal for the safety and comfort of passengers who are stepping from car to car. In British usage the term refers to the part of the carriage where the passenger doors are located; this can be at the ends of the carriage (on long-distance stock) or at
2970-405: Was typically divided into two different sections: the first front section, or the public part, was introduced with a vestibule. These vestibules contained two rooms, which usually served as waiting rooms or a porters’ lodge where visitors could get directions or information. Upon entering a Roman house or domus , one would have to pass through the vestibule before entering the fauces , which led to
3025-588: Was where the papias of the palace deposed his keys, the symbol of his office, after the ceremonial opening of the hall each morning. The main hall of the Chrysotriklinos was surrounded by a number of annexes and halls: the vestibule known as Tripeton , the Horologion (so named because it probably contained a sundial ), the hall of the Kainourgion ("New [Hall]"), and the halls of the Lausiakos and
#619380