Byzantine World 330-1400

Byzantine World Late Roman Empire Core of B.E. was Greek Cosmopolitan Empire Blending Armenians-Greek Syrians -Persian Egyptians-Roman

Hagia Sophia                               

Remnants of Rome Justinian took the throne of Eastern Empire Sought to recreate the greatness of Rome Take back the western portions Rulers exercised absolute power: Church and State 88 Emperors: 29 died violently, 13 abandoned the throne

                                                         

Justinian Code Code: collection of 5,000 Roman laws Digest: quotes and summaries from Rome’s greatest legal thinkers Institutes: textbook that gave instruction on how to use laws Novellae: (new laws) passed after 534 Justinian Code was passed in one form or another to Western Europe and provided the legal basis for continental states during the Middle Ages

Constantinople Public building program: rebuilt fortifications, churches (Hagia Sophia), enlarged the palace, public baths, aqueducts, schools, and hospitals Preservation of Greco Roman Culture Merchants from Asia, African, and Europe Hippodrome

Fall of the Empire Plague of Justinian: bubonic plague Probably imported from India lasted until 700 542: 10,000 people dying a day Attacks from all directions Lombards, Slavs, Bulgars, Sassinid Persians, Arabs, and Russians Used bribes, diplomacy, and political marriages rather than fight Instability Street riots, religious quarrels, palace intrigues, and foreign dangers

Religion Divides Split empire=split religion Conflict between Eastern Bishops and Emperor and Western Pope over Icons: religious images Pope and Patriarch excommunicated each other West and East competed for converts

Roman Catholic: Latin, pope has authority overall bishops, emperors, kings, priests may not marry, Divorce not permitted, no use of Icons Similarities: Based on the gospel of Jesus and the Bible. They use sacraments like baptism, religious leaders are priests and bishops, actively seek converts. Eastern Orthodox: Greek or local languages, patriarch and other bishops head the church as a group, emperor claims authority over religious figures, priests marry, divorce permitted, icons