Download Byzantine Empire Study Guide

Byzantine Empire Study Guide
Terms, People, and Places
Constantine – emperor of the Byzantine empire; established Constantinople (named for himself)
as the capital of the eastern Roman empire; converted to Christianity; stopped persecution of
Christians
Constantinople – capital of the eastern Roman empire; Byzantium later renamed by Constantine
as Constantinople and now modern day Istanbul; became rich and successful due to trade –
crossroads between 2 continents; water on 3 sides and a wall on the 4th for protection
Justinian – emperor during the Byzantine empire’s golden age; ruled from 527 to 565; determined
to revive ancient Rome by recovering lands that had been overrun by invaders; drove the
barbarians out of Italy, North Africa, and Spain; helped to expand the empire; built hospitals,
churches, bridges, libraries, parks; rebuilt Constantinople after the Nika rebellion
Justinian’s Code – popular name for a massive collection of laws (Corpus Juris Civilis, or “Body of
Civil Law”); Justinian set up a commission to collect, revise, and organize all the laws of ancient
Rome; influenced many Western legal codes
Theodora – wife of Justinian; shrewd politician, served as advisor and co-ruler to Justinian and
even pursued her own policies; helped save the empire during the Nika rebellion
Icon – holy images; pictures of important Christians or sacred events; take the form of mosaics,
murals or wooden panels; liked in the West but not in the East
Patriarch – highest Church official; Byzantine emperor was not a priest but controlled Church
affairs and appointed the patriarch in Constantinople; pope and patriarch were rivals –
excommunicated each other
Schism – split; Great Schism – split between eastern and western Christianity; Byzantine church
became known as the Eastern, or Greek, Orthodox Church, and the western branch became known
as the Roman Catholic Church
Hagia Sophia – largest of 25 cathedrals built during the reign of Justinian; religious center of the
Byzantine empire; became a mosque when Turks took empire over and now a museum; plain
exterior and ornate interior to symbolize earthly life and the spiritual universe
Aspects of Daily Life – (see chart)
Respond to the following:
1) Summarize how the Byzantine empire became rich and successful.
* It had a strong central government, powerful military, and location on prosperous trade
routes. Peninsula provided natural safe harbor for ships.
2) Describe the schism between the Orthodox Church and the Church in Rome.
* The Byzantine Church rejected the Pope’s authority and differed from Rome in using religious
icons and conducting masses in Greek.
3) The Byzantine empire preserved part of the heritage of the Roman empire. Why was this
important?
* It allowed later peoples to benefit and learn from the heritage of the Roman empire. Some of
the Roman influence: the arch, the forum, chariot racing, bathes, buildings (architecture),
columns, etc.
4) Why was Justinian such a successful ruler?
* he had many accomplishments:
-
rebuilt Constantinople;
he unified and enlarged the empire to reach its greatest size;
built the strongest military force in the world;
restored Roman glory by rebuilding the Church of Hagia Sophia;
reformed the laws of ancient Rome and created a “body of civil law” known as
Justinian’s Code