The Byzantine Empire

1. The Byzantine Empire

2. Review:Fall of Rome • Roman emperor, Diocletian (284 AD) divided the Roman Empire into east and west

3. Review:Fall of Rome • Constantine (312 AD) rejoined east & west; moved capital from Rome to Byzantium, renaming the city Constantinople

4. The Byzantine Empire • western half suffered from invasion • last Roman emperor ousted in 476 B.C. • eastern empire became known as Byzantine Empire

5. Emperor Justinian • 527 Justinian (Byzantine nobleman) took control of eastern empire • fought to regain control of Rome & Italian peninsula • called himself new Caesar & ruled like emperors of Rome • head of both church & state • exercised absolute power

6. Roman influence in Byzantine Culture • Learning: • Byzantium valued Greco-Roman classical learning • Students learned Greek & Latin grammar, philosophy, read classic literature written by Greeks & Romans • Some Roman laws remained • Christianity - official religion

7. Rise of Constantinople • Justinian started public building projects: • 14-mile wall around city • churches (Hagia Sophia) • courts, schools, & hospitals • Markets offered trade goods from Africa, Asia, &Europe

8. Empress Theodora • Justinian’s wife & advisor (most powerful woman in Byzantium) • Met w/ foreign envoys, wrote to foreign leaders, passed laws, & built churches • Passed laws to protect women & grant them benefits

9. Justinian’s Code • Some of Roman law continued in Justinian’s new system of law. • Legal system est. in Justinian’s Code served as law in the Byzantine Empire for 900 years. • Justinian’s Code consisted of four works: • The Code - contained 5,000 Romanlaws • The Digest - quoted & summarized opinions of Rome’s greatest legal thinkers • The Institutes- told law students how to use the laws • The Novellae (New Laws) - presented all new legislation

10. Justinian’s Code Practice • Interpreting Justinian’s Code WS • Writing Prompt: What was the advantage of combining established Roman law with the new system of law in the Justinian Code? (Answer this question before you leave)

11. Impact on Russia • Byzantium traded w/ Slavic peoples to north • Russian culture was created as Greek Byzantines interacted w/ Slavs • Slavic peoples - culturally similar but politically different communities

12. Impact on Russia: Trade Dnieper River • 880 -city of Kiev settled on Dnieper River • People living in Kiev could sail to Constantinople to trade. Location of Constantinople

13. Impact on Russia: Politics & Religion Religion: • 957 - princess Olga from Kiev converted to Christianity • 989 - grandson, Vladimir, converted entire population of Kiev to Eastern Christianity • Vladimir imported teachers from Byzantium to teach about new religion Politics: • Ivan III came to power in Moscow – declared he would make Russia “third Rome” &took title “czar” (Russian for “Caesar”)

14. The Great Schism • Christianity developed different religious beliefs in eastern & western empires • In 1054, the Pope (West) & Patriarch (East) excommunicated each other (outcast from church) • Eastern (Greek) Church = Greek Orthodox • Western (Latin) Church = Roman Catholic

15. Great Schism: Key Religious Differences • Emperor claims authority over Patriarch & bishops • Patriarch & bishops share power & administer church as a group • Priests allowed to marry • Divorce permitted in certain cases • Pope claims authority over all bishops, kings & emperors • Priests may not marry • Divorce not permitted Greek Orthodox (East) Roman Catholic (West)