Unit 2 Activity 14 Presentation The Byzantine Empire Unit 2 Activity 14 Presentation

Setting the Stage Remember the Roman Empire? Powerful empire that lasted 500 years + spanned across the Mediterranean world When the WESTERN Roman Empire fell  European kingdoms under feudalism What happened to the EASTERN empire?  Byzantine Empire!!

Timeline = Roman empire split into TWO: West and East In this lesson, we’ll look at events roughly around this period! 500 B.C.E. 0 C.E 300 C.E. 800 C.E. 1400 C.E. Roman Republic 509 B.C.E. to 27 B.C.E ~500 years Roman Empire 27 B.C.E. to 284 C.E. ~300 years Roman Empire (West) 284 C.E. to 476 C.E. ~100 years Various Kingdoms 476 C.E. to 800 C.E. Holy Roman Empire + Various Kingdoms 800 C.E. to 1806 C.E. ~1000 years Roman Empire (East) later known as the Byzantine Empire 284 C.E. to 1453 C.E. Emperor Constantine moved capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium in 330 C.E. = the fall of the Roman Empire = the beginning of the MIDDLE AGES

Map – Split of Roman Empire WEST EAST Land and sea TRADE ROUTES!!

Map – Height of Byzantine Empire Under Emperor Justinian I Justinian tried to regain parts of Western Roman empire back! GEOGRAPHY QUESTION! What observations can you make about this map with the previous map? Land and sea TRADE ROUTES!!

Map – End of the Byzantine Empire circa 1450 Constantinople

How does the location of Constantinople make it easily defensible? Map – Constantinople GEOGRAPHY QUESTION! How does the location of Constantinople make it easily defensible? Constantinople area magnified area magnified

Which is easier to defend? Why did the Eastern Roman Empire (as Byzantine Empire) last longer than the Western Roman Empire? ANSWER: I know, AGAIN! GEOGRAPHY!!! Barbarians attacked this region! Which is easier to defend? CONSTANTINOPLE! surrounded by water on 3 sides = more defensive walls!

STRONG LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT Why did the Eastern Roman Empire (as Byzantine Empire) last longer than the Western Roman Empire? ANSWER: POLITICAL STABILITY!!! MONEY!!! west east poor leadership corrupted government STRONG LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT GREAT WEALTH IN EMPIRE Note: Obviously Emperor Commodus from “Gladiator” and King Elessar of Gondor (a.k.a. Aragorn) from “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” are not REAL examples of western Roman emperors + eastern Roman emperors…

West vs. East: Differences during the Middle Ages Characteristics Language Culture Religion Religious Leader West Rural, agricultural, not as wealthy Latin Frankish + Germanic cultures Roman Catholic Christianity Pope East Many cities, vibrant trade, great wealth Greek Eastern Orthodox Christianity Patriarch (not as powerful)

Notable Byzantine Achievements When the cathedral was turned into a mosque, these towers called “minarets” were added for the appointed person (muezzin) to call Muslims to prayer 5 times a day. LAW Justinian Code Ordered by emperor Justinian to organize and simplify the empire’s code of laws to help people better understand them = the basis for legal systems of most Western countries Arts + Architecture Most notable cathedral: the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom). The cathedral was converted to a mosque (Muslim place of worship) when the Byzantine Empire fell to the Muslim Ottoman Empire. Education + Literature Byzantine librarians copied and preserved handwritten documents from Greece and Rome, saving epic poetry by Homer and Greek/Roman philosophy texts.