Byzantium Becomes the New Rome
Timeline of the Fall of Rome 324- Constantine reunites Roman Empire 330- Moves the capital to Constantinople 395- West and East Rome was officially divided. 410- Rome is attacked by the Vandals 413- Constantinople begins building its protective walls to keep Germanics out 420- Rome attacked again 476- Rome falls, along with the Empire 527 Justinian took the throne of the Eastern Empire.
Western Rome SPLITS EASTERN ROME
Western Rome EASTERN ROME Byzantine
What language was spoken in the Byzantine Empire? GREEK
Capital = Constantinople Continued as the New ROME EASTERN ROME Capital = Constantinople Continued as the New ROME Kings saw themselves to still be considered ROMAN emperors
ADVANTAGES Located on the waterway between the Aegean & Black Seas. Protection of Eastern frontier Distance from Germanic invaders in Western Empire. Located at crossroads of trading routes between Europe & Asia. (Caravans) Easily fortified on a peninsula bordering natural harbor.
EASTERN ROME BECOMES Byzantine Empire
Constantinople Survived because it was far away from the Germanic tribe invasions It was the crossroads of trade so it was successful Preserved Greco-Roman culture
Justinian Justinian was a serious emperor who worked from dawn to midnight He helped rebuild and re-conquer Rome Had ABSOLUTE POWER = controlled both government and church Wife helped- Theodora 1
Byzantine Under Justinian He wanted a re-conquest of the Roman territories that were lost through Germanic invasions
Justinian’s Accomplishments Sent Best general Belisarius to take North Africa from the Vandals 2 Years later Belisarius took Rome back from the Ostrogoths Justinian won back nearly all the territory Rome used to rule.
Justinian Code Justinian set up a panel of legal experts to look through 400 years of Roman law. Some laws were outdated Justinian wanted to create a single, uniform code This became known as the Justinian Code that was used for 900 years after his death He set up a panel of 10 legal experts. Between 528-533 they built this single, uniform code.
Justinian Expands Trade The main street that ran through Constantinople was called the MESE which means “Middle Way” It ran from the imperial palace to the outer walls
Justinian Expands Trade There was a giant open-air market where shoppers could buy Tin from England Wine from France Cork from Spain Ivory and gold from Africa
JUSTINIAN THEODORA
Byzantium Preserves Learning Families valued education Sent children to monastic or public schools Hired private tutors Greek and Latin grammar, philosophy and rhetoric They preserved Greek and Roman great works
Justinian’s Building Program Launched the most ambitious public building program the Roman world had ever seen. City protected by a deep moat, and three walls that were 25 feet thick City coast was surrounded by a 14-mile stone wall
The Hagia Sophia Justinians’ most splendid building Christian church later taken by the Muslims Hagia Sophia was the first time that a large circular dome had been set atop a rectangular opening. At the end of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 the Hagia Sophia became a mosque. Today, it is a museum. Meant “Holy Wisdom” in Greek
East = Eastern Orthodox West = Roman Catholic East = Eastern Orthodox Greek Latin
DECLINE & FALL By 700s Byzantine was reduced to mainly Greek areas. Constantly under attack, first by the SELJUK TURKS (Muslims) & then by the OTTOMAN TURKS who officially defeated the Byzantines in 1453 A.D.
In 1054 A.D., the Orthodox Christian Church officially split from the Roman Catholic Church in the Great Schism