The Byzantine Empire

From Rome to Byzantium, Foundations of Europe

Thursday, 17 April

• Welcome!• DO NOW

– Turn in your Europe maps if not finished yesterday

– Hand in last night’s homework– Get started on Do Now

Pages

• 4-3 Rome’s Golden Age & Rome’s Decline

• 4-4 The Byzantine Empire notes• 4-5 Justinian Code assignment

(tonight’s HW)

Objectives

• Be able to…– Predict consequences of Rome’s decline

as a major power– Describe features of the Byzantine

empire– Make an argument for how geographic,

political, cultural, and economic factors helped the Byzantine Empire become powerful

Agenda

• Do Now/Share• Decline of Rome: Gallery Walk of

Theories• From Rome’s Decline to Byzantium’s

Rise• Four Parts of Byzantine Empire:

Lecture, Discussion, and Notes

What pressures contributed to the decline of the Roman

Empire?• Expansion and cost of

maintaining large empire• Defense of borders• Attacks from outside

forces (Germanic tribes)• Tax burdens, rich vs.

poor• Loss of shared identity?

– New religious groups grow: CHRISTIANS

Think-Pair-Share:When a powerful, large empire like

Rome stops being so powerful…What will happen in Europe?

*Economic*Political

*Religious

Constantine & The New Rome

• 330 CE, Constantine wants power

• Moves capital to Byzantium, in Greek-speaking East

• Constantinople as the “new Rome”

• Legalizes and promotes Christianity

Where on this map would you build a capital for a

great empire? WHY?

Mediterranean Region

The City of Constantinople (Istanbul)

• Capital of Eastern Roman Empire—deeply influenced by Roman model

• City organized into districts and hills like Rome

• Survived repeated riots, wars, and 88 leaders!

• 1453 renamed Istanbul after conquest by Turks… still a major capital city and center of culture

• Surrounded on three sides by water—easy to defend (13 miles of walls, watchtowers)

• Control of Bosporus Strait makes it a hub for land and sea trade

• Center of culture, food, religion, and economic activity

• Bridges East, West, ancient, modern—Greek, Arabic, Christian, Islamic

Istanbul today

Byzantine Crossroads: Economic and Cultural

• Ethnic and cultural diversity of Byzantine Empire

• Trade routes connect three continents

• Merchants come from far & wide to trade

• Missionaries spread new ideas

• Art and architecture styles from East and West

Exchanges…China: SILK/Christian missionariesIndia: spices, pepper, jewels/IvoryAfrica: ivory, gold/SilkSpain: cork, grain/bronzeFrance: wool, wines/silkEngland: iron, tin/ancient Greek

literature

Architecture, Religion & Power

• Byzantine rulers build a city to make others marvel—meant to impress!

• Architecture reflects values: grandeur, ability, power, religious devotion

• Hagia Sophia as perfect Byzantine model– Plain outside represents

daily life, world around– Beautiful inside represents

ideal spiritual/religious life—promotes Christianity

• Style spread across empire and beyond

• Became a Mosque, then a museum

Hagia Sophia (interior)

Politics of the Byzantines: The Emperor Justinian

• 16th ruler (rules 527-565)• Devout, determined, stubborn• Ambitious military leader—

taxes heavily to pay for expansion

• Rules church and state—religious and political authority

• Revises and establishes new legal code: The Corpus Juris Civilis (civil law)—comes to be known as Justinian Code

• Massive building program to show his power and authority– Builds hospitals, public

baths, libraries, statues, parks, monasteries, cathedrals, and more!

And… Empress Theodora

• Justinian: another emperor who married well!

• Theodora: a commoner, former circus performer, actress, force of nature!

• Loved adventure and travel

• Active in politics– Social welfare

programs– Care for the poor– Expand rights of

women

Advised JustinianPut down rebellions harshly__>Sent troops and killed 30,000 people…”peace” was restored__>Protect the city against riots and invasions

Religious Change: East and West Divide

• Increasing separation between Eastern and Western Christianity

• Disagreement over use of icons– Used to teach in West— high illiteracy

means images are very important– Some in East dislike icons, others use

them for devotion– 1054 the churches split

• Differences in…– Language (Latin/Greek)– Politics (Holy Roman

Empire/Byzantine)– Authority (Pope/patriarchs)– Clergy

Icons are pictures that show important individuals or sacred events. They can be paintings, mosaics, or wooden panels. Here is a Greek icon of Mary and Jesus

Byzantines as Great Power…

• By the 7th century, Byzantine Empire is a major power in trade, religion, culture, military

• By in the 8th century, Islamic Empire begins to emerge

• What conflicts do you predict?

Close

• On a notecard or piece of scrap paper, please answer…– What helped make the Byzantine Empire

successful? List at least one economic, one geographic, and one political factor