Introduction to the Byzantine Empire Ms. Carmelitano

Location The Byzantine Empire rose out of the Eastern Roman Empire The Western portion was invaded by Germanic tribes – the Huns The Eastern portion survived, by Constantine Constantine moved the capital of Rome to the city of Byzantium (in the east) 330 AD: Renamed Constantinople

Justinian 527 AD Succeeded his uncle to the throne of the Eastern Empire Wife: Empress Theodora The most powerful woman in Byzantine’s history She was originally an actress Met with foreign envoys, passed laws, built churches After she died in AD, Justinian no longer passed any major laws

Conquest 533 Justinian sent general Belisarius, to recover Northern Africa from Germanic Tribes Forces were able to win back most of Italy and parts of Spain After 16 years: Justinian was emperor of most of old Roman empire: His forces could not re-take Rome Called himself “The new Caesar”

Map of the Byzantine Empire

The New Caesar Justinian ruled with absolute power: Like the Caesars before him Headed the church and state Appointed and dismissed bishops His successors were very brutal Of 88 Byzantine emperors, 29 would die violently and 13 would give up the throne for a life in the monastery

Separation from Rome The distance from the Western Empire helped citizens of Byzantine Empire form a unique culture They stopped speaking Latin and began speaking Greek

Life in the Empire Justinian hired legal experts to regulate society after re-uniting the two empires The Panel combed through 400 years of Roman Law It changed laws that were outdated and contradictory to write a new set of laws Called: Justinian’s Code

Codification of Laws The panel created a single, uniform code known as the Justinian Code The Code was written in four sections for laws of people, things, interstate succession, and contracts It was comprised of four works 1. The Code contained 5,000 Roman laws that were still use for Byzantine Empire 2. The Digest quoted and summarized the opinions of Rome’s greatest legal thinkers about the laws – 50 volumes 3. The Institutes was a textbook that told the law students how to use the laws 4. The Novellae (new laws) presented legislation passed after 534

Code discussed marriage, slavery, property, inheritance, women’s rights, and criminal justice Served for 900 years