Download The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire
IN THIS LESSON, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF
THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY
AND/OR DEFINE THE FOLLOWING TERMS:
EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY
BYZANTINE INFLUENCE ON RUSSIA
The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D
.
However, the eastern portion of the
empire survived. It began the
Byzantine Empire.
The Byzantine Empire survived for
one thousand years after the fall of Rome.
The Byzantine Empire survived for one
thousand years after the fall of Rome.
A Natural Location for Trade
The
Byzantine
Empire was located
between Europe
and Asia.
The Byzantine Empire became wealthy
from trade.
Orthodox Christianity
 The
Byzantines developed their
form of Christianity, Orthodox
Christianity.
own
 Greek
is the official language of the
Orthodox Christian Church.
 Orthodox
Christians do not recognize
the Pope in Rome as their leader.
In 1054 A.D., the Orthodox Christian
Church officially split from the Roman
Catholic Church in the Great Schism.
1054: The pope and the patriarch excommunicated each
other, officially splitting Christianity between the Eastern
Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
The Hagia Sophia was a Byzantine
Church and an architectural marvel.
Byzantine Influence on Russia
Byzantine
missionaries established
Orthodox Christian churches in
Russia.
Byzantine missionaries even
created an alphabet, the Cyrillic
alphabet, to write the Bible in
Russian.

Do you see the Byzantine influence
in this Russian Orthodox Church?
Justinian
Byzantine
Emperors held
absolute power.
The
Byzantine Emperor,
Justinian, collected all Roman
written laws.
Justinian ordered the collection of Roman
law. The Code of Justinian
Questions for Reflection:
 What
became of the Eastern Roman
Empire with the fall of Rome in 476 A.D.?
 Why
was the Byzantine Empire able to
prosper from trade?
 How
did the Orthodox Christian Church
differ from the Roman Catholic Church?
 Who
was Justinian and what did he do?
 What
was the Hagia Sophia?