The Byzantine Empire

I. A New Rome Western Roman Emp. crumbled in 5 th cent. Capital of East = Byzantium

A. The Reign of Justinian East = Greece, N. Balkan Pen., Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Cyrenaica Emperor Justinian (r ) Led political, economic, intellectual, & artistic revival

1. Theodora 525: married Justinian Helped change Byz. law regarding women Domestic violence Owning property Widow & custody Nika Revolt (532)

2. Belisarius Commander-in-chief of army Regained former Roman territories in Med. Byz. reached its greatest height 533: recovered N. Africa 535: attacked & seized Rome (Ostrogoths)

Byz. Emperors = absolute power headed state & church threat of assassination

II. Life in New Rome Byz. Emp. developed its own character Roman ties?

A. Justinian Code Panel of legal experts reviewed 400 yrs. of Roman law (outdated & contradictory) 1. the “Code” = 5,000 Roman laws (useful) 2. the “Digest” = summarized opinions of great Roman thinkers 3. the “Institutes” = textbook for law students 4. the “Novellae” = (New Laws), presented legislation after 534

Decided legal questions regarding marriage, slavery, property, inheritance, women’s rights, & criminal justice 565: Justinian died, but code survived

B. Creating the Imperial Capital Ambitious building programs Rebuilt fortifications of Const. Church building (connection betw. church & state) Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) “the most splendid church in the Christian world” Completed in 537 “Solomon, I have outdone thee!” Enlarged palace Also, baths, aqueducts, courts, schools, hospitals

Greco-Roman culture preserved Education focused on Greek & Roman lit.

III. Strengths of the Empire Political, military, economic strength

A. Political Strength Centralized govt. Skilled, efficient, well-paid officials Practiced shrewd diplomacy

B. Military Strength Frontier forces, infantry, cavalry Rewarded soldiers w/land grants 590: instruction manuals for officers on military strategy Improved army weaponry 500s: built navy “Greek fire”

C. Economic Strength Prosperous ag., manufacturing, & trade Const. = heart of emp. Strategic location on Bosporus betw. Asia & Europe Govt. = regulated trade & manufacturing

IV. The Church Divides Christianity developed differently betw. West & East

A. A Religious Split Patriarch (Rome, Const., Alexandria, Antioch, & Jerusalem) Pope (patriarch of Rome) = supreme authority in West (Byz. did not recognize) Debate over icons (holy pics = Jesus, Virgin Mary, & the saints)

Byz. = iconoclasts (icons constituted idol worship & should be suppressed) 726: Emp. Leo III—outlawed icon worship in East West = pope of Rome summoned a council in 787 Opposition to icons = heresy

Council threatened iconoclasts w/ excommunication Friction betw. Pope (Rome) & patriarch (Const.) Combined w/cultural & language diffs. 1054: Church split West = Roman Catholic Church East = Eastern Orthodox Church

V. Decline of the Empire 1300s: Ottoman Turks rose to power 1453: captured Const. (Byz. Ended)