4. byzantine empire

Social Sciences Bilingual Section. IES Aljanadic.2º ESO

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

The Byzantine Empire (or Eastern Roman Empire) is the name given to the Roman Empire that existed during the Middle Ages. Its capital was Constantinople, which is located in Turkey and is now called Istanbul. Unlike the Western Roman Empire, its people spoke Greek, not Latin and had a largely Greek culture and identity.

The Corpus of Civil Law

For centuries the senate in Rome had been passing laws governing the actions of Roman citizens. Roman emperors had also established thousands of decrees and laws. Up until now, these laws were recorded in a variety of scrolls, books, and tablets, which were spread throughout the Roman Empire. This made it very difficult for Romans to understand their laws and rights.

The Byzantines inherited their legal system from the Romans. The Byzantine emperor Justinian hired a commission to review all the laws that had accumulated over the centuries and to simplify them. This commission categorised the laws into classes based on the issues that they dealt with. They combined many similar laws, made complex laws more simple, while getting rid of many outdated laws.

This new system of laws was recorded in a single book known as the Corpus of Civil Law, or Justinian Code. The Corpus of Civil Law would become the basis for the laws of many western civilisations.

The City of Constantinople

Tucked between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea lies a small neck of land. In ancient times this peninsula was a popular travel route for

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merchants and traders. Because it could be accessed from two different seas, as well as by land, it was a perfect location for a city.

In addition, this location was easy to protect from attack. The water that surrounded it made it difficult for opposing armies to attack. The one side that was open to land could be protected by building a large thick wall.

Recognising the strategic value of this location, the Roman emperor Constantine built a city here in A.D. 330. He named the city Constantinople after himself.

The city of Constantinople quickly grew, becoming the wealthiest city in the Roman Empire, even more wealthy than the city of Rome itself. In A.D. 395 when the Roman Empire was split, Constantinople was the most logical location for the capital of the newly created Byzantine Empire.

At the end of May 1453 the Turks captured Constantinople and the Empire came to an end. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople became known as Istanbul, and is still known by this name. During the Turk period, the Turks reused the main Byzantine churches as mosques and built lots of new mosques as well. Nowadays, the cityscape is made up of both Christian and Islamic architecture.

Byzantine Empire Word Search2


Find the words below in the word search, then put each term with its definition:

CONSTANTINOPLE THEODORA ALPHABET MOSAICS JUSTINIAN JUSTINIAN CODE CONSTANTINE HAGIA SOPHIA

T F R U G C P N I C H C M R Q N T M X H B M Y R R M O I B A Z I W T I

C O Z Z L I O N F I O O I E H G W G K N H J V W G Q Y O N A E A C Z M

R R Q D V S I N P K K N S L T K B F A D G M H O K X G A D J D L L M Q

A B L T L M U G S H R S T Y V R C O A M G V B Q B R I H K X O K G W R

I O B S E J M I G T B T F R A U O L O S E X S T E N Y U V O C A D J H

T H E O D O R A R G A A G G I C H P J D I D H E I X B L S A N V B B L

I G R J O G Z T K A H N D M L B A N O B K N K T G E F Y T E A I X O M

Y V E N E T I A N S S T T I V L U W O L Y F S Q Z T H Q C Z I U I C Y

R P C G Y R S W X I O I L I P A R T O W I U G R I I I O E L N F J H D

E N J O X C D G C Z O N L H N Y U Z I R J T C M X A V O J R I M O R P

J L G U I F D O A L X E A E U O J Q E O L E A I L I I P B Y T Y X Q C

P F H A C H N Z R F X B V B B B P F Z Y N E V N N D D U O B S H P I I

Q F S R B S X Z Z I E G Y I Y K N L H A I H P O S A I G A H U C E Z L

N O L Z X O V O N T X G R P B B M V E N C I T E M Z J M K L J V C F Q

M N U K C X U I A N S K L B N M Y O O X C J J U T T H D Q U U D M R M

TERMDEFINITION

1) moved the capital of Rome to Constantinople (East).

1) Christian city. 2) Latin was the official language.

1) a Macedonian. 2) strong ruler. 3) considered the greatest Byzantine emperor. 4) served in the army and a good general.

1) Justinian's wife. 2) made her most important contribution in 532.

1) considered one of Justinian's greatest achievements. 2) was the law of the land.

1) the church. 2) called "Holy Wisdom"

colourful pictures made of stone or glass

(Cyrillic) _________

1) based on the Greek version. 2) named in honour of the man who helped create it.

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Solution:

T F R U G C P N I C H C M R Q N T M X H B M Y R R M O I B A Z I W

C O Z Z L I O N F I O O I E H G W G K N H J V W G Q Y O N A E A C

R R Q D V S I N P K K N S L T K B F A D G M H O K X G A D J D L L

A B L T L M U G S H R S T Y V R C O A M G V B Q B R I H K X O K G

I O B S E J M I G T B T F R A U O L O S E X S T E N Y U V O C A D

T H E O D O R A R G A A G G I C H P J D I D H E I X B L S A N V B

I G R J O G Z T K A H N D M L B A N O B K N K T G E F Y T E A I X

Y V E N E T I A N S S T T I V L U W O L Y F S Q Z T H Q C Z I U I

R P C G Y R S W X I O I L I P A R T O W I U G R I I I O E L N F J

E N J O X C D G C Z O N L H N Y U Z I R J T C M X A V O J R I M O

J L G U I F D O A L X E A E U O J Q E O L E A I L I I P B Y T Y X

P F H A C H N Z R F X B V B B B P F Z Y N E V N N D D U O B S H P

Q F S R B S X Z Z I E G Y I Y K N L H A I H P O S A I G A H U C E

N O L Z X O V O N T X G R P B B M V E N C I T E M Z J M K L J V C

M N U K C X U I A N S K L B N M Y O O X C J J U T T H D Q U U D M

TermDefinition

Constantine 1) moved the capital of Rome to Constantinople (East).

Constantinople 1) Christian city. 2) Latin was the official language.

Justinian 1) a Macedonian. 2) strong ruler. 3) considered the greatest Byzantine emperor. 4) served in the army and a good general.

Theodora 1) Justinian's wife. 2) made her most important contribution in 532.

Justinian Code 1) considered one of Justinian's greatest achievements. 2) was the law of the land.

Hagia Sophia 1) the church. 2) called "Holy Wisdom"

Mosaics colourful pictures made of stone or glass

(Cyrillic) Alphabet

1) based on the Greek version. 2) named in honour of the man who helped create it.

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GLOSSARY:

The Middle Ages – la Edad MediaTo be located – estar, situar, encontrarseUnlike – diferente, distintolargely – en gran parteculture – culturaidentity – identidad to pass laws – aprobar leyescitizens – ciudadanos decrees – decretos to establish – establecer, instituir emperor – emperador Up until now – hasta ahoraTo record - anotarRights – derechos Tablets – tablilla To be spread - extendersethroughout – en todoscroll – rollo to inherit – heredar legal system – sistema legalto hire – alquilar, contratarcommission – comisión review – revisión, resumento accumulate – acumular to simplify – simplificar to categorise – clasificar classes – clases, tiposis based on – está basado en, se base enissues – temas, asuntos. cuestionesto deal with – tratar decomplex – complejo simple – sencillo while – mientras (que)to get rid of – deshacerse deoutdated – pasado de moda, anticuadobasis – base civilisation – civilización To tuck between – meter entreneck of land – istmo de tierraIn ancient times – en tiempos antiguos, en la época antiguapeninsula – penínsularoute – ruta, camino

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merchant - comerciantetrader – vendedor to access – obtener acceso a, entrar aIn addition – además to protect – proteger to attack – atacar surrounded by – rodeado porto make sth difficult – hacer algo difícilopposing armies – ejércitos enemigos, opuestosbuilding – edificio to recognis – reconocer strategic value – valor estratégicowealthiest – el más rico, adineradoto split – partir, dividirto capture – capturar to come to an end – terminar, concluirto fall – caerse churches - mosques cityscape Islamic made up of Christian architecturegeneralrulerserved achievements

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4. byzantine empire

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