Peter Frankopan
  • Home
  • About Peter
  • New Book !!!
  • The Silk Roads
  • The New Silk Roads
  • Silk Roads - Illustrated
    • The First Crusade
  • I've Been Thinking.....
  • Leviathan
  • Academic work
  • Press & Media
  • In the News
  • Public Events
  • Contact
Welcome

Peter's blog

I blog from time to time about things that catch my eye and particularly about links between the past and present.

Peter's Blog

The standing man & stylites of Istanbul (and Constantinople)

6/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture'Istanbul was Constantinople'
The Four Lads may not feature on many bibliographies on the history of the great imperial city of Constantinople. But they were spot on.

'Istanbul was Constantinople', they sang, entirely accurately. 'Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople'; correct again.

'Why did Constantinople get the works?' they mused; 'That's nobody's business but the Turks'

It's a classic - an all time great, and required listening (you can click on the link above and listen as you read if you like).

Despite the wisdom of the Four Lads, though, some things never change. The inhabitants of the great city nestled on the banks of the Bosphorus have been up in arms, protesting against the heavy-handed and bloody-mindedness of the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It is the latest in a long and proud line of civic disobedience that stretches back to the early 4th century when the city was magnificently endowed by the Emperor Constantine.

PictureRoom with a view
As Byzantine Emperors and Turkish sultans learned from experience, when crowds take to the streets of the city, it was time to listen. Erdoğan is not interested; it's all the fault of 'provocateurs' and 'social media', he claims. He should study his history.

If he had, he'd quickly learn about the Stylites of Constantinople, men who would climb to the top of a column to be closer to God, and to demonstrate their devotion through their asceticism. Some, like Daniel in the 5th century, took up position by the harbour, so those journeying in and out of the city could see him literally standing up for what he believed in. People would shout up questions to him - and he'd answer, impressing all with his simple advice.

Picture'The Standing Man'
For all those who say history does not repeat itself, how wonderful to see that after being swamped with tear gas, the protesters in Istanbul have reverted to old tradition of making a stand.

The symbol of the recent protests is none other than a modern day stylite - dubbed the standing man.

PictureNew Day, New Outfit. Same pose
He stands still, silently (occasionally disappearing to change his outfit); his aim is to make a pacific and ascetic protest against the powers that be. He will hold his ground, and do so proudly, quietly and without a fuss. The stylites of old would be proud of him - and delighted to see their traditions being re-adopted, even if the spiritual side is rather watered down.

Even better, clusters of new standing figures have now joined him. This happened too with popular stylites in the old days, with others setting up columns near by (I might be wrong, but suspect this was really annoying for the first holy man who got in to position; I bet there was a lot of the silent treatment for new arrivals until they proved themselves). And despite what they say, size did matter - what was worse than another stylite joining the party? A stylite with a bigger column, that's what.
Picture
Standing Men
A shame then that instead of perching on top of a column (needs planning permission; not very robust against a high-pressure water cannon etc), the protestors are showing solidarity by standing still and silent, united by matching T-Shirts.

If anyone wants to send me one, I'll put it on and find a suitably lofty location in the dreaming spires of Oxford - and show them how it's done old school.
Picture
A Gang of Stylites in the 'hood
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm trying out micro-blogging -short bits of things I think are interesting every now and again. I'm on twitter too if you prefer doses of 140 characters

    Archives

    October 2018
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Byzantine
    Byzantine Empire
    Byzantine Empire
    Cats
    China
    Constantinople
    Crusades
    David Bowie
    Dolce & Gabbana
    Downton Abbey
    Emperor
    Fashion
    First Crusade
    Football
    Istanbul
    Medieval
    Middle Ages
    Mongols
    Nomads
    Pilgrimage
    Putin
    Stylite
    Titles
    V&A
    X Factor
    Zoolander

    RSS Feed