Download THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
• Formerly known as the Eastern Roman Empire
– Capital = Constantinople = larger and richer
city than Rome
• Its position allowed it to control trade
between Asia and Europe
• Emperor Justinian
– Dreamed of restoring original Roman Empire
• Rebuilt Constantinople with grand new
monuments, such as the church Hagia Sophia
• Took back empire’s territory, especially the
Western provinces
– Decide to reform Roman law which had fallen into a
state of confusion
• Justinian set up a system that codified, or
arranged, the empire’s existing laws and legal
opinions into a clear system
• Also updated and expanded to include laws
created by Justinian himself
• Known as Justinian’s Code
•Byzantine Culture
•Two powerful institutions=church and state
–Emperor considered a ruler and deputy of Jesus on
Earth
•Responsible for both civil and religious law
•Christianity greatly influenced the empire
–Popular art form was mosaic
•Mosaic created with tiny colored tiles of glass,
stone, or clay fitted together and cemented into
place
•1054 final schism or split occurred between churches
• Western Church = Roman Catholic
• Eastern Church = Orthodox Church
– Importance of the Byzantine Empire
– Preserved ancient Roman heritage
– Served as a bridge between Christian West and
Muslim East
– Built the church Hagia Sophia, which is considered to
be the highlight of Byzantine architecture and was
the world’s largest cathedral for nearly a 1000 years