the corpse of Constantine

Constantine died with his heir far from the throne and so his corpse continued to rule for nearly one year with messengers reading aloud to his ashes, courtesans seeking audience with it, etc. This period demonstrates how the throne had become the seat of power by divine right. A consistency of law and of faith inher to the throne and the culture, though any man could become emperor since the right to revolt was codified as part of that law. Emperors included former butcher, peasant, common sentry, even Justinians uncle had arrived in Constantinople barefoot. One third of 66 Byzantine emperors were usurpers.

To survive usurpation, emperors began to realize the efficacy of form and spectacle. Power as depicted in mosaics of justinian and his empress at Ravenna was enhanced by stiffness and splendor, unmoved mover pantocrator and symbol of god's will.

Religios disputation weakened christianty just when Mohammad lived in Saudi Arabia (died 632 AD).