Download The Byzantine Empire

Byzantine
Timeline
• 285 AD– Diocletian divides
the Roman Empire.
• 312 AD – Constantine
legalizes Christianity.
• 527-565 AD– Justinian
builds and codifies Roman
laws.
850’s AD – Byzantine culture
spreads to Russia.
• 1054 AD – Christian church
splits.
• 1204 AD – Crusaders pillage
Constantinople.
• 1453 AD – Constantinople
falls to the Ottoman Empire.
The Byzantine Empire
The Greek word for Constantinople was “Byzantium”,
thus this “New Rome” became the Byzantine Empire –
lasting for an additional 1,000 years in cultured
prosperity, while Rome fell to Germanic invaders.
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire
The Eastern Portion of the Roman Empire
•Under pressure from attacks
by Germanic tribes and Huns,
Diocletian divided the empire
of Rome into an Eastern
section and a Western section
ruled from Rome in 285 AD.
Statue of Emperor Diocletian.
Diocletian Divides the Roman Empire
Constantine
Emperor Constantine
•In 312 AD, Constantine
legalized Christianity and
moved the capital of the
empire to Byzantium on the
Bosporus which became
Constantinople, or the “City of
Constantine,” and “New
Rome.”
Statue of Emperor Constantine.
Byzantium - Constantinople
•At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Constantinople was a
major center for trade. Silks and spices arrived from the East,
furs from Russia, and grains, olives, and wines from the empire
itself brought the empire great wealth.
Rome vs. Byzantium
Rome - the Western Empire
•Spoke Latin
•Territory included Italy,
Gaul, Britain and Spain.
•Trade was disrupted.
•Not as wealthy as the
East.
Rome vs. Byzantium
Byzantium - the Eastern
Empire or “New Rome”
•The Empire was oriented
towards the Greek culture. Greek
was the language spoken, written
and taught.
•Wealthy empire that benefited
from trade routes that connected
Europe, Asia and Africa.
•Religion - Eastern or “Greek”
Orthodox Church.
Interior of Hagia Sophia
Justinian
Emperor Justinian
•Justinian tried to re-conquer
the Western Empire of Rome.
He oversaw the building of
Hagia Sophia.
•He is best remembered for his
code of laws called Justinian’s
Code.
Mosaic of Emperor Justinian.
Justinian’s Code of Laws
Justinian set up a panel of 10 legal experts, who brought together over 400
years worth of Roman laws and traditions into one single, uniform book of
laws and commentaries known as Justinian's Code.
Justinian's Code contained 4 separate works –
•The Code - which contained 5,000 Roman laws the Byzantines still found
relevant and useful.
•The Digest - which quoted and summarized the opinions of Rome's greatest
legal minds. It served as a useful guide for judges deciding a case.
•The Institutes - a textbook that taught law students how to use the laws.
•The Novella or New laws that were passed after 534 AD.
The Code discussed the Law for Individuals and the Natural Laws that a
person is born with and entitled to. This idea of the Natural Laws of Man will
be picked up again by political philosophers such as John Locke and Thomas
Jefferson, who will argue for the natural laws or unalienable laws a man is
born with, "that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Justinian – Hagia Sophia
•New roads, an imperial palace, fortresses, hippodrome
(circus), universities, market places, aqueducts, and
monasteries were built under Justinian’s reign. His best
known achievement was Hagia Sophia or the “Holy Wisdom of
Christ” church.
Justinian – Hagia Sophia
• Hagia Sophia or the “Holy Wisdom of Christ” church was the
largest church in the East.
•Today, it is an imperial mosque for Muslims who took the city
in 1453.
Byzantine Art – Mosaics and Icons
Mosaic – on the left – of Justinian and his court and an Icon of
Christ on the right. Mosaics and Icons were two of the more
popular styles of Byzantine art.
Russia
Formation of Medieval Russia
•In the 800’s Russian culture
emerged as a blend of Slavic, and
Rus (Varangian – Viking)
cultures. They traded with
Constantinople, bringing furs,
timber, wax and honey. Slavic
subjects were sold as slaves in
Constantinople as well.
A Viking Rus
Formation of Russia
Russia formed near 3 of her great rivers –the Volga, the Dnieper
and the Don. Her first capital was in Novgorod then Kiev. Later,
it was moved to Moscow. Rus vikings settled among the Slavs
and built forts along the rivers for trade.
Russia
Formation of Medieval Russia
•Eastern Orthodox missionaries spread
their Christian faith to these Slavic
tribes – creating the Cyrillic alphabet
for their Russian language.
•The spread of Eastern Orthodoxy
brought Russia closer to
Constantinople and the Byzantine
culture and traditions.
Cyrillic
Alphabet
Russia
Formation of Medieval Russia
•In 989 AD, Prince Vladimir of
Kiev converted to Byzantine
Christianity and made all of
his subjects convert too.
•Russia was now linked to
Constantinople via trade and
religious traditions.
Prince Vladimir of Kiev baptizing
the Russian people.
The Roman Catholic Church Divides
•In 1054, a schism, or split occurred in the Roman Catholic
Church.
•The 1.Roman Catholic Church remained the only Christian
church in the West, while in the Byzantine Empire, the 2.Eastern
or “Greek” Orthodox Church became the state sponsored
church.
The Roman Catholic Church Divides
The Pope in Rome (Pope Leo IX -Roman Catholic
Church), stated he was the supreme leader of the
Church; while the Patriarch of Constantinople
(Michele Cerulari) opposed this claim.
Two Churches
The Roman Catholic Church
•Services were held in Latin.
•Popes had both secular and
spiritual power. During this era,
they were as powerful as kings.
•Priests were not allowed to
marry, and divorce was not
permitted.
Pope Leo IX
Two Churches
The Eastern Orthodox Church
•Services were held in Greek.
•Patriarch was the church leader
while the emperor was the
political leader.
•Priests were allowed to marry,
and divorce was permitted.
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Roman Catholic Church Divides
•Can you list differences between the Roman Catholic Church
and the Eastern Orthodox Church?
The Byzantine Empire
Contributions of the Byzantines
•They kept the advanced learning,
culture and traditions of the Greeks and
Romans alive.
•Justinian’s Code of Laws influenced
many nations.
•Eastern Orthodox church helped unify
Slavic tribes, giving them a written
language and the Cyrillic alphabet..
A Byzantine soldier and official.
The Fall of the Byzantines
The Fall of the Byzantine Empire
•Constantinople was weakened
by repeated attacks from the
Seljuk Turks.
•Christian crusaders pillaged
Constantinople in 1204, and
finally in 1453, Constantinople
fell to the Ottoman Turks.
Sultan Mehmet II who conquered
Constantinople