Byzantine Empire (330-1453)

Diocletian’s Empire

The origins 292: Diocletian divides the Roman empire into two. 324: Constantine reunites the two parts 330: Constantine builds a new capital in the location of ancient Byzantium 337: The death of Constantine results in division between east and west.

Constantinople Successive emperors build strong walls, palaces, churches, gardens, aquaducts and made the city the biggest, strongest and most enlightened city of medieval Christendom The Walls of Theodosius

Cistern Basilica – water storage under Constantinople

The early years 337: Constantius II, succeeds Constantine East and West divided again, permanently. 361: Julian tries to revert to paganism. 379-95: Theodosius I Christianity obligatory 396: Prohibition of Olympic Games Hippodrome

The Fall of Rome Barbarian tribes keep pushing into a fragmented and weakened Roman Empire. The east through bribery, diplomacy and better military resists effectively 476: Rome Falls 491: Anastasius I: His competent rule reorganizes the east. Financial strength and administative success. The Last Legion

Reasons for the survival of the Byzantine Empire Classical Cultures – Byzantium benefited from a rich infusion of Greek, Roman, Christian, and Middle Eastern cultures Location – At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Constantinople was a major center for trade. Silks and spices from the East, furs from Russia, and grains, olives, and wines from the empire itself brought great wealth Strong Central Government – Byznatium was ruled by a series of powerful emperors with a strong centralized administration and a single set of laws Large Army – The Byzantine central government taxed merchants and peasants to support a large standing army.

The Age of Justinian (527-75) Procopius, Histories 532 The Nica revolt 536: Reconquest of Rome and much of Italy took many years. North Africa and the Spanish coast were easily conquered. Victories over Sassanid Persia in the east consolidate the borders

Hagia Sophia, Church of the Holy Wisdom, 6th c.

Justinian’s legacy Hagia Sophia remained the seat of Eastern Christianity until the Fall of Constantinople. 552: Byzantine monks sneak silkworms and mulbery out of China. Justinian orders the codification of Roman law (Corpus Iuris Civilis). He was heavy-handed towards heresies In 529 he closed the philosophical school of Athens, thus destroying the last stronghold of paganism.

Empress Theodora

The Byzantine empire in 565, at its largest expansion ever.

The Struggle with the Persians Procopius is a rich source for the campaigns in the east. Justinian and his successors were locked into a titanic struggle with an old enemy and won. 627: Heraclios crushes the Persians at Nineveh. However, both Byzantines and Persians were exhausted and vulnerable to the Arabs and Islam.

The Decline of the Byzantine Empire Consistant warfare with the Persians and Muslims in the east, Slavs and Avars to the north shrinks and weakens the empire In the 11th Century, the Seljuk Turks defeated a Byzantine army in 1071 and took most of the Asian part of the empire 1204, Constantinople is “sacked” in the 4th Crusade

The empire in 1092

The Fall of Constantinople The world turned its eyes on a depopulated Constantinople in the spring of 1453. A shadow of its former glory the imperial city fell after months of siege from the Ottoman Turks. Constantine XI, the last emperor became the subject of legends.

The Byzantine Legacy Preserved Ancient Cultures – The Byzantines preserved the rich cultural heritage of classical civilization during the European Dark Ages Code of Justinian – Emperor Justinian consolidated Roman Laws into a single legal code which served as a guide on most legal questions and highly influenced later Western legal systems (including the United States)

The Byzantine Legacy The Arts – The Byzantines were renowned for their mosaics, painted icons, gold jewelry, and silks. Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia is considered one of the world’s most beautiful buildings

Eastern Orthodox Church The Byzantine Legacy Eastern Orthodox Christianity – resulted in a schism from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 after 700 years of infighting between Rome and Constantinople. Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Services were held in Latin Services were held in local languages The Pope has authority over all other Bishops The Patriarch and other Bishops head the church as a group The Pope claims authority over all kings and emperors The emperor claims authority over the patriarch and other bishops of the empire Priests may not marry Priests my be married Divorce if not permitted Divorce is allowed under certain conditions Use of icons and images allowed and encouraged Use of icons and images discouraged (once seen as idol worship)