Download The Byzantine Empire - Miami Beach Senior High School

The Byzantine Empire
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Mr. Ermer
World History; Miami Beach Senior High
Emperor Justinian
When western Roman Empire collapses, and was
replaced by Germanic states, the eastern Roman
Empire continues to exist
 Centered around Constantinople, later
renamed Byzantine Empire
 527: Justinian becomes Emperor, wanted to
reestablish Roman Empire in Mediterranean
 552: Roman Empire almost back to old boarders
 Empire shrinks after Justinian’s death

Justinian’s Roman Empire
Justinian’s Contributions
Eastern empire inherits complex legal system
 Justinian set out to simplify the laws
 The Body of Civil Law: The results of
Justinian’s efforts, became basis for Byzantine
law to 1453
 Justinian’s code also influenced western law

Eastern Roman Problems
After Justinian, empire is left with problems:
 Too much land to defend
 Empty treasuries
 Decline in population due to plague
 Threats on its boarders
 Muslim Arabs sweep through empire, taking more than
half its territory
 ERE defeated at Yarmuk in 636, ceding control of Syria
and Palestine to Arab control
 679: Defeated by Bulgarians in the north, losing control
of Danube River Valley

From Roman To Byzantine
Empire shrunk to include just Balkans and
Asia Minor
 Greek replaces Latin as official language
 Emperor viewed as chosen by God, and his
power was absolute
 Emperor appointed the leaders of the
Eastern church known as a patriarch
 The emperor was the leader of both church
and state, protecting the true Christian faith

Constantinople
Europe’s greatest city until 1100s
 City grew rich facilitating trade b/w east & west
 Justinian’s buildings dominate landscape
 Hippodrome=arena for races and gladiators
 Hagia Sophia: main church built in 537
 The Hagia Sophia—Church of the Holy
Wisdom—is the most famous Byzantine
building, today known as the Blue Mosque

The Hagia
Sophia
New Success, New
Troubles
Macedonian emperors bring new prosperity
 Rule from 867 to 1081, expand empire
 Early success undone by political infighting
 Macedonians do not accept pope’s claim to
be sole head of Christian faith
 1054 Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael
Cerularius excommunicate each other—
causes schism
 Seljuk Turks defeat Byzantines at Manzikert


On page 41, write and answer
questions 1-5
Chapter 2, Lesson 5 Review