▁with ▁the ▁sk il ful ▁working ▁of ▁this ▁metal . ▁The ▁throne ▁of ▁D ago bert ▁in ▁the ▁Bibliothèque ▁N ationale , ▁Paris , ▁appears ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁Roman ▁bronze ▁cur ule ▁chair , ▁with ▁back ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁arms ▁added ▁by ▁the ▁Abb ot ▁Sug er ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century . ▁ ▁By z ant ium , ▁from ▁the ▁time ▁when ▁Const antine ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁emp ire , ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁century , ▁was ▁for ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ren owned ▁for ▁its ▁works ▁in ▁metal . ▁Its ▁position ▁as ▁a ▁trade ▁centre ▁between ▁East ▁and ▁West ▁attract ed ▁all ▁the ▁fin est ▁work ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁art istic ▁skills ▁of ▁craft s men ▁from ▁Sy ria , ▁Egypt , ▁Pers ia , ▁Asia ▁Minor ▁and ▁the ▁northern ▁sh ores ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Sea , ▁and ▁for ▁ 4 0 0 ▁years , ▁until ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Icon oc last ic ▁period ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁century , ▁its ▁output ▁was ▁enorm ous . ▁Several ▁Italian ▁churches ▁still ▁retain ▁bronze ▁doors ▁cast ▁in ▁Constantin ople ▁in ▁the ▁later ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Empire , ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁presented ▁by ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁P ant ale one ▁family , ▁in ▁the ▁latter ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁century , ▁to ▁the ▁churches ▁at ▁Am alf i , ▁Monte ▁Cass ino , ▁A tr ani ▁and ▁Monte ▁G arg