The Private and the Public

The house was without doubt the centre of private life for the Byzantines. Many variations existed, depending on the owner’s financial means, the terrain and, of course, the available space. During the early Christian period wealthy citizens continued to live in large luxurious mansions in the cities and in farmhouses in the countryside. Gradually, over the course of the centuries, houses were reduced in size and richness and often housed more than one family. Available information derives mainly from descriptions found in texts, manuscript illustrations, depictions in monumental art and archaeological remains of excavated houses.

Rudimentary furniture in a Byzantine home included a bed (klinarion or krevation) and a table. Beds were covered with various types of bedding, the krevvatostrosia or krevvatostromnia, such as pillows and sheets, made of linen, wool or even silk, dyed, embroidered or woven with gold yarn. Tables were made of wood and in rare occasions, mainly in the imperial palaces, of silver, gold or were inlaid with ivory tiles. There also were chairs (thronia) and stools (skamnoi or sellia), low seats with two or four legs, for sitting. Finally Byzantine house furnishings included boxes or chests used for storing supplies or other household objects.

The floors of the wealthy houses were covered with mosaics or marble. However, the majority of the Byzantine houses had floors covered with carpets (epeuchia or ypeuchia), of varying size and thickness. Curtains (vela) hung from the ceiling were used as room dividers. 
Byzantine houses were lit by candles and oil lamps. Candles were made exclusively of beeswax, while oil lamps were ceramic or metal, filled with oil or fat for burning the wick.

Household equipment also included cooking utensils and tableware, such as plates and dishes (skoutelia and pinakia), trays, bowls, glasses, cups (kaukoi or skyphoi), jugs (oinochooi) and salt shakers. These were mainly clay or wooden or more rarely metallic. That being said, sources on wealthier dining tables make mention of copper or even silver or gold-plated utensils, decorated with precious stones.
The daily diet of the Byzantines was of special interest too. Written sources and archaeological evidence suggest that the lower classes made do with mainly dry food and porridge, while the aristocracy consumed a wide variety of foods at lavish lunches and dinners. Flour, olive oil and wine, the three mainstays of the Mediterranean diet, were the staple foods in Byzantium. These were complemented with fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish. Food was flavored with the addition of seasonings (salt and pepper, cinnamon, cloves, various types of cumin, lavender, honey, vinegar, and garlic) and herbs (dill, fennel, rosemary, oregano, capers). The most popular sauce was garos, made of small fry and fish offal.

Dress was an important marker of social status in Byzantium, indicating the social group someone belonged to or their place within that group. It depended on a host of factors, such as the financial standing of the individual and his family, occupation, age and gender. Members of the middle and lower classes generally wore plain linen or woolen clothes woven by women in the home. In contrast, the upper class dressed in long garments of expensive materials (silk, linen) and metallic yarn (gold and silver thread), with metal or bone buttons, especially from the 11th century onwards.

Garments, jewelry, grooming tools and perfume bottles clearly reflect the interest of the Byzantine society for decoration and adornment. This love for grooming was inherited from the Roman period. Despite the prohibitions of the Church Fathers and the ascetic standards of the saints, the material remains of the Byzantine culture indicate that both men and women used jewelry, clothing and make-up, not only as a means to improve appearance, but as indicators of social status.