The concept of “byzantinism” in Russian cultural and philosophical apperception: K. N. Leontiev and F. I. Uspensky

The article looks into the substantive content of the concept of “Byzantinism” in the intellectual heritage of outstanding Russian and world culture personalities, namely, Konstantin Nikolaevich Leontiev, a philosopher, and Academic Fedor Ivanovich Uspensky, a Byzantine historian. The work shows the inextricable link between the subject of Byzantinism with the task of apprehending Russian cultural identity and substantiating Russian civilisational foundation and with embracing the challenge of clearly exposing the roots of nihilism (domnatio memoriae) in European scientificand-historical and public mind with relation to Byzantium. The author reveals the true relevance of the views the above mentioned scholars held for contemporary Russian identity.