The Byzantine Empire (The New Rome)
The Eastern Empire As Western Europe fell to the Germanic invasions, power shifted to the Byzantine Empire (the eastern part of the Roman Empire).
Diocletian ( ) Divided the Roman Empire into two parts: East and West—making it easier to govern Further divided into four parts with four rulers helping him govern Restored order: military and political reforms
Constantine ( ) Expanded the Eastern Roman Empire Converted to Christianity In 313 A.D. he declared an end to all attacks on Christians In A.D. 330 he moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople Made Christianity very powerful in the empire
Constantinople Center of learning and wealth Thriving center of business and trade— traders, doctors, scientists, artists, and more came to Constantinople Location provided protection from invasions and access to trading routes from Europe and the East
The Dynamic Duo Emperor Justinian (r ) and his wife Empress Theodora (d. 548)
Justinian I ( ) Reestablished the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean Many public works and building projects, including the Hagia Sophia & the Hippodrome Best known for the Justinian Code—became the basis of the legal system for all of Europe for 900 years His wife Theodora helped him rule the empire
The Justinian Code Took laws from the classic Roman Law from 1600 books and produced an organized system of 4652 laws in a single system! Extended the rights of women, children, and slaves Harsher penalties for crimes which proved successful in keeping order It serves as a model for the legal systems Latin America and Europe.
The Imperial Goal: Unity Justinian considered it his duty to recapture the Roman lands in the west. Recaptured Spain, Italy, and North Africa One God One Empire One Religion
The Empire at Its Height The empire was at its height In 565, during Justinian’s reign. It included most of the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
" Not since the world was made was there... so much wealth as was found in Constantinople. For the Greeks say that two-thirds of the wealth of this world is in Constantinople and the other third scattered throughout the world." --Robert of Clari, a French crusader who witnessed the pillage of the city in 1204, describing Constantinople.
Extensive Building Plans Justinian was an ambitious builder. His greatest monument was the magnificent domed church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), which was constructed in just five years (53237).
The Controversy with Icons In 730, Emperor Leo III banned the use of icons (icons are religious images that some people use to help them pray and worship). The pope supported the use of icons. As a result he excommunicated the Byzantine emperor.
The Church Splits Differences between the churches in the West and East continued to grow. An official split, or schism, between the two groups occurred in Two new churches resulted: the Roman Catholic in the West (located in Rome) and the Eastern Orthodox in the East. In the West the pope has the ultimate authority over church and government while in the East the emperor has ultimate authority over the church and government.