The position of women in the Byzantine word and art

Byzantine's written records state that woman is the mediator of devil and is a kind which should be avoided when seen. Therefore, women should always be restricted and kept under control in social life. Were women, comprising almost half of the population and breeding all of it in Byzantine, excluded from social life just as stated in written records? It is difficult to answer this question only in the light of written resources as they generally represent what is needed instead of reality. In this context, we need to consult to records provided by archeology and history of art rather than ideology in order to determine and reach the reality. Therefore, in this thesis it is aimed to evaluate the place of women in Byzantine social life and their contribution to art especially by means of details that visual resources provide us as well as the written records. Within this context, it is observed that Byzantine women are divided into three categories fictitiously and each image is attributed a different meaning. Beyond what the ideology determines, Byzantine folk woman supporting that she had joined in social life, the empress aiming to create political power and have a place in the minds, and sacred woman images providing continuance for (Mother) Goddess tradition of classic world have been examined through civil and religious artworks. Throughout the history of empire that empresses being beside the emperors in visual records or their visual records of representing the empire alone, as a female figure Mary's taking place in visual art as the Mother of God during the spread of Christianity indicate the need and importance which Byzantine Empire gave to the female figures no matter how much ideology denies it. Written and visual records prove that patriarchal structure trying to control Byzantine women's power labeled as daughters of Eve didn't succeed much, and female figures comprising half of the population and breeding all of it are just in the center of society not on the edge.