Byzantine Empire & Orthodox Influence on Russia Outcome: Byzantium: The New Rome

Byzantium: The New Rome Setting the Stage Due to Germanic Invasions, the Western Roman Empire had collapsed For nearly 1,000 years after the collapse of the Western Empire, Byzantium in the east would continue to thrive and build upon its Roman foundations

Byzantium

Byzantium: The New Rome Why was Byzantium called The New Rome? Simple: it was Roman Byzantium had Roman emperors, architecture, culture, and Christianity Byzantine emperors ruled with absolute power- head of church as well as head of state. There were differences such as they spoke Greek instead of Latin

Byzantine Architecture St. Basil’s Basilica in Moscow Russia I.e. the tetris church

Byzantium: The New Rome Why was Byzantium wealthier? Byzantium was located in the middle of several trade routes that allowed it to prosper Weren’t prone to the Germanic attacks like the Western Empire

Byzantium: The New Rome Emperor Justinian Takes control of the Byzantium in 527 AD Set up the Justinian Code: uniform set of laws created from outdated Roman laws Contained 5,000 Roman laws still considered useful Broken up into 4 works (The Code, The Digest, The institutes, the Novellae) Built many churches including the Hagia Sophia, hailed as the most splendid church in Christian world Plagues and attacks cause the Byzantine Empire to fall after death of Justinian Had ABSOLUTE POWER = controlled both government and church He wanted a re-conquest of the Roman territories that were lost through Germanic invasions

Justinian Expands Trade There was a giant open-air market often called a bazaar, where shoppers could buy Tin from England Wine from France Cork from Spain Ivory and gold from Africa Trade routes via Black Sea and Baltic Sea

The Hagia Sophia

Byzantium: The New Rome A Christian Empire Christianity had spread since the height of the Roman Empire Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan that made Christianity legal The Church Divides in 1054-The Great Schism- great divide of the christian church Roman Catholicism in the West Services conducted in Latin Centered in Rome The Pope has authority of all other bishops Priests cannot marry

Byzantium: The New Rome Eastern Orthodox Church in the East Services conducted in Greek or local languages The Patriarch and other bishop head the Church as a group Priests may be married Centered in Constantinople

Influence of Byzantium on Russia Adoption of Orthodox Christianity by Russia and much of Eastern Europe Use of Icons and Mosaics (pictures made of small tiles) in public and religious structures Adoption of Greek Alphabet for the Slavic Languages by St. Cyril (Cyrillic Alphabet)

Byzantium: The New Rome Result: The Roman Empire dwindled into oblivion allowing the Middle Ages to begin. However, in the east Byzantium held on for a few more centuries, which resulted in a split in Christianity and eventually would set up a bigger conflict: Christianity vs. Islam.