Byzantine poetry refers to poetry written during the Byzantine Empire, which lasted from 330 A.D. to 1453, when Constantinople fell. Many sacred and secular poems were written a variety of authors during those eleven centuries. In the Byzantine Empire, hymns, epigrams, panegyrics, and satires were among the most popular forms of poetry.
A hymn is a religious poem written with the intention of being sung. Romanos the Melodist wrote about 1000 hymns in the fifth century. Antiphonal singing and dialogue combine to tell specific Bible stories in his hymns, which are known for their length and dramatic nature. Romanos was one of the first Greek poets to use stress accents instead of the short and long syllables common in classical Greek poetry to achieve rhythm.
Religious canons became popular in the seventh century. This formal type of poetry is usually made up of nine hymns or chants, each of which has at least three strophes. Andrew of Crete and John of Damascus are the two most famous canon poets in Byzantine poetry.
Epigrams can be religious or secular in nature. Georgius Pisides and Theodorus Studites both wrote epigrams about Christianity and monastic life, whereas Agathias wrote overly embellished observations of life and people. Complimentary epigrams on saints and ancient Greek philosophers were written some Byzantine writers, such as Joannes Geometres.
Several works of satire appear in Byzantine poetry, including an anonymous work called Timarion and Mazaris’ Journey to Hades, Mazari. Both poems are about the protagonist’s unplanned trip to the underworld, where the ruling class is mocked and certain ethnic groups are mocked. Other satires feature talking animals insulting the clergy and the government verbally.
Satirics are the polar opposite of panegyrics. A panegyric is an official, formal poem written in emperor’s honor. After the completion of the Hagia Sophia, a Greek Orthodox basilica in Constantinople, Paulus Silentiarius composed a famous panegyric for Emperor Justinian I in 562 A.D.
Begging-poems are a type of Byzantine poetry in which the poet expresses his or her dissatisfaction and requests assistance from the reader. Wives, food, and other writers are all topics that come up frequently. “Ptochoprodomos,” possibly written Theodore Prodomos, is the most famous begging poem.
Poetry in the 13th century reflected many influences from Western European traders and invaders. Popular chivalric romances included Kallimachos and Chrysorrhoe. Even though it concerns earlier conflicts, the Byzantine Empire’s only heroic epic, Digenis Akritas, was most likely written around the same time.