The papacy at the crossroads: Byzantine influence in the Church of Rome 795--824 A.D

This thesis investigates the extent to which the Eastern Church retained influence over the Church of Rome between 795 and 824 A.D. It reviews the political and religious changes that occurred in both Rome and Constantinople through examination of documentary evidence and the art projects which Popes Leo III and Paschal I commissioned. The impact of these changes on the relationship between the two churches is analyzed. The paper also examines the relationship of Leo and Paschal with the Carolingian dynasty and its impact on Rome's relations with the Eastern Church. A translation of six letters of Paschal I from Latin and Greek and an organizational chart of the Lateran governmental structure is included in the appendices.