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The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire. What was the Byzantine Empire?. The predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. Initially the eastern half of the Roman Empire, it survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and continued to thrive

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The Byzantine Empire

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  1. The Byzantine Empire

  2. What was the Byzantine Empire? • The predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. • Initially the eastern half of the Roman Empire, it survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and continued to thrive • Its capital city was Constantinople, originally known as Byzantium. • Existed for an additional thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. • During most of its existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe.

  3. Justinian • Crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire in 527 A.D • Hoped to reunite the Eastern & Western Roman Empires • Made the Eastern Orthodox Church the Official Church of the Byzantine Empire • Justinian’s Code • Justinian put Roman laws into a book called “The Body Of Civil Laws”

  4. Able advisers • Theodora – Justinian's wife • Convinced him to change laws: • Divorce laws for more legal power for women • Allowed a woman to own property in the same amount as dowry • Belisarius – leader of the army • Crushed Nika revolt • Won back lands from Germania

  5. Strengths of the Empire • Leaders were clever diplomats • Military • Well trained • Greek fire on naval ships • Strong, centralized government • Constantinople was a center of trade • Large tax revenues

  6. The Christian Church • Iconoclastic Controversy • Some Byzantines kept icons (pictures or statues of Jesus, Mary, etc.) • Iconoclasts - believed keeping icons was wrong • Emperor Leo III ordered all relics be destroyed • The Pope called a meeting of church officials • Declared icons to be ok • Contributed to the Great Schism (split in the church) • Roman Catholic Church in Rome • Eastern Orthodox in Constantinople

  7. Byzantine Culture • Cyril and Methodius were Christians that helped spread the gospel • Created an alphabet for the Slavs • Cyrillic language • Art • Mosaic – picture or design made from small pieces of enamel or glass • Architecture • Hagia Sophia – “holy wisdom”

  8. The Decline of the Empire • Conflicts with outside powers • Persians, Slavs, Turks, Muslims, Germans • Even disagreements with Western Empire caused conflicts • Seljuq Turks captured Asia Minor • Sunni dynasty in Persia, preceded Safavids • Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople

  9. Legacy: • Impacted Russia • Religion: Eastern Orthodox • Language • Art/Architecture Achievements: • Built the Hagia Sofia • Spread Christianity • Justinian’s Code of Laws • Continued Roman culture and ideals after the fall of the Western Roman Empire

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