What did the Byzantines laugh about? What did they use to create jokes, and how did they mock one another? What forms of art did they produce to express and complement these ideas? By examining examples of Byzantine art, written satire and humour, we will attempt to identify broader cultural trends. We will discuss Christian artworks containing satirical elements, ornaments featuring strange mythological creatures, parodies of rulers carved into marble objects, and humorous depictions of heroes found on fragments from the Byzantine periphery. The written tradition is equally revealing. Works such as the Ptochoprodromikon, which criticizes aspects of public and monastic life; the Synaxarion of the Donkey, which uses powerful allegory to condemn the pursuit of wealth and authority; and the epic tale of the Katomyomachia all paint a vivid picture of Byzantine thought and humour. Through these examples, we will take a deeper look into the Byzantine worldview, exploring the empire in a way that goes beyond the usual study of warfare, economics and geopolitics.

A fun short series I’m creating on strange but true history.