What was the Byzantine view of the Enlightenment?

History The Byzantine Empire Questions



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What was the Byzantine view of the Enlightenment?

The Byzantine Empire did not have a direct view of the Enlightenment as it existed centuries before the movement emerged in Western Europe. However, the Byzantine Empire had its own intellectual and cultural achievements, particularly during the Macedonian Renaissance in the 9th-11th centuries. This period saw a revival of classical learning, the preservation and translation of ancient texts, and the promotion of education and scholarship. While the Byzantines did not have a direct counterpart to the Enlightenment, they valued knowledge, education, and intellectual pursuits, which align with some of the ideals of the Enlightenment movement.