The Byzantine Empire

1. The Byzantine Empire 476-1453

2. The Byzantines • 476-1453 • Remnants of the Roman Empire? • New Rome? • Entirely new empire? • Constant border wars with Islamic Empire

3. Justinian • 527-565 • Re-conquered a lot of the former Roman Empire • Code of Laws • Based on Rome’s • Building Projects

4. Conquest

5. Conquest • Shortly conquered a lot of territory • At great cost (pyrrhic victory) • Did not remain after Justinian died • Problems of administering so much territory • Too big • Many different people

6. Justinian Code • 534 • Based on Roman Code of Laws • Addressed marriage, slavery, property, inheritance, women’s rights, crime, and more • The Code - Contained 5,000 Roman laws • The Digest - Shorter summary of laws to be given out • The Institutes – Textbook for law students • The Novellae – New laws passed after 534

7. Building Projects • Justinian Built: • Walls and massive fortifications • Churches • Hagia Sophia

9. Why did the Byzantines Shrink? • Constant warfare with outsiders -- Muslims • Consolidation • Less costly to maintain • Everyone is Greek in nature • A lot of the trade is centered in Constantinople anyway

10. Sources of Strength • Trade • Easily administered empire (got rid of all the outsiders • Strong Emperor • New Caesars • Church and State were related to give power to emperor • Law Code • Otherwise, they could not have survived

11. The Religion • What religion were the Byzantines? • Greek Orthodox • What do they believe in? • Christianity

14. Byzantines • Two Churches?? • Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox church • Schism of 1054, but the break was long before • Over what? • Original Break: • Iconoclasm • Cultural breaks

15. Crusades and Byzantium • Fighting within the Christians

16. **Below are more details about details above**

17. The Beginning • In 395, the eastern half of the Roman Empire officially broke from the western half • “New Rome‟ • Byzantine Empire • The capital of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople • Controlled the Bosporus straight that linked the Mediterranean Ocean and Black Sea. • The center of the major trade routes from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. • The people of Constantinople were a blend of Greek, Roman, and Christian influences.

18. Rule of Justinian • In 527, Justinian I took over and began to build an empire. • The greatest advantage he had in doing this is that he ruled as an autocrat. • He controlled not only the government, but religion as well. • In rebuilding „New Rome‟ he had three areas of focus • Military • Codify the Laws • Construction

19. Rule of Justinian • Military Conquest • Justinian first built the Byzantine military to be the strongest in the region and their known world. • He appointed Belisarius as the general of his army and set out to regain the lands of Rome. • By the end of his reign in 565, he had recovered nearly all of the territory controlled by the Roman Empire. • The success was short-lived as his successors quickly lost the land Justinian had gained.

20. Rule of Justinian • Justinian’s Code • In 528, Justinian appointed a ten member panel to research the laws of Rome. • 400 years of legislation and debate. • The result was the Corpus JurisCivilis, or Body of Civil Law. • This set of laws was more commonly referred to as Justinian‟s Code.

21. Justinian’s Code • Justinian’s Code had four areas of Focus • Code –The 5,000 laws from Rome that were now the laws of the land for the Byzantine Empire. • Digest –A 50 volume set of texts containing the debate and opinion of law by Rome’s greatest philosophers and scholars. • Institute –The textbook that taught law students how to use the laws. • Novellae –All new laws up for debate after 534. • The Code remained the rule of law in Byzantium for the next 900 years and is the basis for international law today.

22. Rule of Justinian • Rebuilding Constantinople • Along with his powerful army, Justinian built up his defenses at home. • Constantinople was protected by three walls that had been deteriorating for years. • The crowning glory of his ambitious rebuilding efforts was the church Hagia Sophia. • The name means “Holy Wisdom” • The church was so impressive that it moved the Kievian rulers to convert to Orthodox Christianity.

23. Rule of Justinian • The center of entertainment in Constantinople was the Hippodrome. • Translated it means Horse –Racecourse. • Over 60,000 people would fill the arena and watch chariot races. • This was also the source of the Nika Rebellion • During this attempted overthrow, Justinian wanted to flee the city. • He was convinced otherwise by his most trusted adviser and wife Theodora.

24. The beginning of the weakening of the empire started under Justinian‟s rule • Plague • Invasion from outside • Following the end of Justinian and Theodora‟s reign in 565, the empire slowly lost territory and influence. • Eventually, the entire empire was essentially the city of Constantinople. • It survived as such until 1453.

25. Division of the Church • In the former western empire of Rome, the Germanic tribes took over and sought to preserve the Roman way of life. • This was most evident in their support of the Pope as the head of the Christian Church. • In the east, Christianity took a different turn and a rivalry began. • Main difference was the use of religious icons in worship

26. Division of the Church • Leo III banned the use of icons and was supported by the military and others. • Iconoclasts showed support by breaking into churches and destroying religious icons and symbols. • As the clergy in the east supported the use of icons, the Pope supporting the use of icons and excommunicated the emperor. • Excommunication –To declare a person an outcast of the church.

27. Division of the Church • The icon controversy led to a split or schism in the church. • This divided Christianity in the east and west into two different sects. • West –Roman Catholic Church • East –Eastern Orthodox Church

28. Fall of the Byzantine Empire • For the 900 years after the end of Justinian’s reign, the empire declined in power and influence. • Trade was hurt by the Crusades and opened the door to the west. • Venetians took control of trade and riches. • The Ottomans grew in power and influence. • They eventually conquered Constantinople, converted it to Islam and renamed it Istanbul.

29. Cultural Contributions of the Byzantine Empire • The Byzantines played major role in preserving Hellenistic Culture. • They were also known for their contributions in the discipline of history. • Before it fell, many scholars fled to Italy and other areas of Europe and continued their work and influence.