The Byzantine Empire

1. The Byzantine Empire

2. Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) (330 CE-1453 CE) • After a long decline, Rome fell to Barbarian invasions in 476 CE • However, Rome’s Eastern Roman Empire remained strong and united • The city Constantinople served as a perfect capitol • It was surrounded on three sides by water and the city had thick walls making it nearly invulnerable to attack • This helped the Byzantine Empire to survive and thrive for another 1000 years.

3. Byzantines: Are they Romans? • The Byzantines saw themselves as continuing the Roman Empire • Byzantine emperors, like the old Roman emperors, continued to be all powerful • Because Constantinople was in the East, most of its merchants and other residents spoke Greek. • At first the official language was Latin • Eventually it was replaced by Greek • They maintained an imperial system of government over a diverse population • Empires

5. Reasons for Survival of Byzantine Empire • Classical Cultures: Byzantium benefited from a rich infusion of Greek, Roman, Christian, and Middle Eastern cultures • Location: At the crossroads of Europe & Asia, Constantinople was a major center for trade. • Silks and spices from the East • Furs from Russia, and grains, olives, and wines from the empire itself brought great wealth. • Strong Central Government: • Ruled by a series of powerful emperors with a strong centralized administration and a single set of laws • Large Army: • Taxed merchants & peasants to support a large standing army

6. Constantinople: Birthplace of Christianity • The Byzantines were united by their own form of Christianity—Eastern Orthodoxy, which was separate from the Catholic Church • Unlike Catholics, Orthodox Christians did not recognize the Pope as head of their church. • Instead they had their own Patriarch, which was outranked by the Emperor • Orthodox Christians also differed by: • Using icons (images of Jesus and the Saints they saw as windows into heaven) • Views on the Trinity & the shape of the cross • Allowed Priests to get married

7. Hagia Sophia • The Byzantines built the Church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom)

8. Justinian the Great (527-565) • Under Justinian the Great, the Byzantine Empire conquered nearly as much land as they had maintained when in the days when the Roman Empire was united. • Justinian also encouraged the teaching of classical Greek texts, preserving the epic stories and philosophical breakthroughs of the Greeks. • Justinian’s passion was church building • His greatest achievement was the Code of Justinian, where he collected all existing Roman law and organized them into a single code. • This code listed all laws and opinions on each subject • It required that all persons in the empire belong to the Eastern Orthodox faith.

11. Code of Justinian excerpts • “You must [determine] the proof necessary to establish the fact that you are entitled to the money which you [claim] you have deposited.” • “He before whom proceedings are brought shall order public documents, both civil and criminal, to be produced, for the purpose of being examined, in order to [judge] the truth.” • “Persons who wish to bring an accusation must have evidence, for the law does not permit a party to inspect the documents of the other side. Therefore, if the plaintiff does not prove his allegations, the defendant shall be discharged, even if he furnishes no evidence. “ • What legal principles do we see developed here?

13. The Decline and Fall of the Byzantines • The late Byzantine Empire continuously battled the Slavs and Avars to the north, the Persian Empire to the east and the spread of Islam in the south. • In the 600’s, Muslim Arabs took most of the empire’s territory in the Middle East • In the 1071, the Seljuk Turks, from central Asia, defeat the Byzantine empire and took possession of most of Asia Minor. • City-states in Italy began to compete with Constantinople for trade in the Mediterranean • The Byzantines continued to be subject to attacks from all sides • By the 1440’s the Byzantine Empire was basically just Constantinople. • In 1453, Constantinople was finally conquered by the Ottoman Turks

14. Byzantine Legacy • Preserved Ancient Cultures • The Byzantines preserved many rich ancient cultures like Greek philosophy & science and Roman engineering. • Ancient texts were preserved here, while they were burnt in the West • Code of Justinian • In consolidating Roman law into a single law code, Justinian greatly influence all later Western legal systems • The Arts • Renowned for their mosaics, painted icons, gold jewelry, and silks. • The Hagia Sophia

16. The Vikings • The Vikings were Warrior people coming out of far Northern Europe: Nordic People • Because of the extreme cold they relied on raiding towns for survival • This led them to develop an intense war culture • Sometimes Viking bands would settle places they liked

19. Russia • The Byzantine Empire greatly influenced Russia. • Russia emerged as a state in the 9th century • Viking raiders organized Slavs in the region into a kingdom centered in Kiev. • Early Russian cities traded with the Byzantine Empire • The most important Byzantine influence on Russia was Orthodox Christianity, which Russians embraced. • Other Slavic peoples were converted to Christianity by the Byzantines.