postByzantine

PostByzantine is a term used in historiography and art history to describe the continuum and transformation of Byzantine political, religious, and cultural traditions after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It typically refers to the late medieval to early modern period, especially within the Greek-speaking world and other Orthodox communities under Ottoman rule, and later areas influenced by Russian culture. The designation signals both continuity with Byzantium and adaptation to new political realities, including the maintenance of the Orthodox Church as a central social and cultural institution within the Ottoman millet system, as well as the persistence of Byzantine liturgy, theology, and education.

Cultural production in the postByzantine period includes iconography, church architecture, and manuscript culture that retain Byzantine stylistic norms while integrating local and Ottoman influences. The Greek-language literary and educational revival of the 17th and 18th centuries, alongside the Phanariote era in the Danubian Principalities, contributed to a growing sense of Greek identity and to the precursors of modern national movements. In music, postByzantine chant and composition continued to evolve within Orthodox liturgical practice.

Scholarly usage varies: some view postByzantine as a direct continuation of Byzantine civilization into the Ottoman era; others prefer labels such as late Byzantine, early modern, or Ottoman-era Byzantine to emphasize both continuity and change. The term is most commonly employed in art history, religious studies, and discussions of Orthodox heritage rather than in standard political historiography.