The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire Chapter 10, Section 1 September 7, 2010

BellringerWrite the following definitions: • Reign- (n.) period of power of a ruler • Imperial-(adj.)of or related to a empire • Distinct-(adj.)not alike; different • Regain-(v.)to have again

Emperor ConstantineRuled from 306-337 • His reign was marked by 2 important changes: • First, he became a Christian and stopped the persecution of Christians. • In 330, he built a new imperial capital at Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople.

Emperor Constantine Reign 25 July 306 AD – 29 October 312

Byzantine Empire • Byzantine Empire • Was located in the eastern half of the Roman Empire • Had a large, strong military. (ships shot “Greek fire” at invaders) • Charged duties on trade goods and became rich • Had many excellent rulers

Byzantine Empire • Its capital was Constantinople, which • Was located at a major crossroads of land and sea trade routes • Connected two continents: Europe and Asia Constantinople

Byzantine Empire cont… Map of the Byzantine Empire 565

Fall of the Western Roman Empire • By 350, it was already in decline. • Roman armies had difficulty holding back invaders from Europe. • Germanic groups took over the city of Rome in 476. • The period from the fall of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476 to about 1500 is known as the Middle Ages. • This period is also called medieval, or existing during the Middle Ages. • In the Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire remained strong.

Byzantine Empire in 476, after the fall of the western Roman Empire

Age of JustinianRuled from 527-565 A.D. • Came from a poor family • Lasting contribution was a system of laws called Justinian’s Code. • His code became the basis for legal system of most modern European countries

Byzantine Culture • Blended Greek, Roman, and Christian influences. Hagia Sophia was built during Justinian’s reign.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hagia_Sophia_BW.jpg Interior view of the Hagia Sophia, 1993

A Second Golden Age • From appx. 900-mid-1000s, the Byzantine Empire experienced a final period of greatness. • The long reign of Basil II –from 976-1025-was the most exceptional period of Byzantine history since Justinian.

Empire’s Later Years • After Justinian’s death, a series of wars with neighboring enemies caused a decline in trade. • The Byzantine Empire shrunk in size and power.

Empire’s Later Years • In 1054, the Christian church split, forming the Roman Catholic church in the west and the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox church in the east Temple of Saint Sava (Belgrade, Serbia), the largest Eastern Orthodox church in the world.

Empire’s Later Years • Constantinople • was weakened by attacks from Muslim people from the east and Christian crusaders from the west. • finally fell to the Turks in 1453. • Was renamed Istanbul and became a great center of Muslim culture and capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Today, Istanbul, Turkey is where Constantinople once was.

References • http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0143-constantinople.php • http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0145-emperor-justinian.php • http://www.byzantium.seashell.net.nz/articlemain.php?artid=mapbase_565 • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church#Meaning_of_.22Orthodox.22 • http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Medieval/Bio/Zoe.jpg

The Byzantine Empire