The Byzantine

EmpireWorld History I

Ms. CostasJanuary 9, 2014

The Fall of Rome After Rome became too big to

control, Emperor Diocletian split the empire into two halves Western Roman Empire

Capital: Rome Eastern Roman Empire

Capital: Constantinople

The West became cut off from trade, began to fall

The East flourished, but was weakened over time as the West continued to fall

The capital of Constantinople was taken over an changed hands Renamed the Byzantine Empire

Outlasting the Western Empire

Historians called Eastern Empire the Byzantine Empire Named after the capital city’s original name of Byzantium

The Byzantine Empire lasted about 1,000 years after the Western Empire Emperors were absolute rulers

Struggled against Germanic peoples, Huns, other groups Lost much land to invaders

Emperor Justinian Justinian was emperor

from C.E. 527 to 565 Reconquered lost

Eastern Empire lands in Italy, Africa, Spain

Justinian began rebuilding the capital, which was damaged in a revolt Rebuilt city walls; build

schools, hospitals, courts, churches

Most famous church was Hagia Sophia

Theodora’s Historic Speech

If flight were the only means of safety,

still I would not flee. Those who have worn

the crown should never survive its loss…

Emperor, if you wish to flee, well and good,

you have the money, the ships are ready, the sea is clear.

But I shall stay.

I accept the ancient proverb:

Royal purple is the best burial sheet

Preserving Roman Culture

Justinian’s Code – uniform code of law based on Roman law Included laws on marriage, slavery, property,

women’s rights, crime

Byzantines spoke Greek but considered themselves culturally Roman Studied Latin, Greek, Roman literature and history

Eastern Empire preserved Greek and Roman culture In former Western Empire, Germanic, and Roman

cultures blended

The Church Divides Division of the empire affected the Christian church

Caused by different cultural practices, limited contact between areas Religious practices developed differently

In the east, the emperor had control over the head of the church In the west, the lack of an emperor gave pope more responsibilities Western Pope claimed control over churches in both the east and west Eastern Church rejected the authority of the Pope Christian Church split in 1054

Roman Catholic Church in the west, Eastern Orthodox Church in the east

Orthodox – “holding established beliefs”; catholic – “universal”

Split led to creation of two separate European civilizations

Religion & Government

Pope claimed authority over Christian emperors, kings Roman Catholic Church

influenced government in the west

Disagreements between church and kings later caused conflicts

Byzantine emperor was absolute ruler Had power over spiritual

head of Eastern Orthodox Church

Overall, had greater power than rulers in the west

The Byzantine Empire Collapses

New Arabian religion of Islam began in 600s Muslim armies attacked Constantinople

Civil wars, attacks by Ottoman Turks, Serbs hurt Byzantine Empire Only small section of empire remained by 1350 Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453

Ended the Byzantine Empire