The Byzantine Empire

What was the Byzantine Empire? The predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. Initially the eastern half of the Roman Empire, it survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and continued to thrive Its capital city was Constantinople, originally known as Byzantium. Existed for an additional thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Turks in During most of its existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe.

Justinian Crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire in 527 A.D Hoped to reunite the Eastern & Western Roman Empires Made the Eastern Orthodox Church the Official Church of the Byzantine Empire Justinian’s Code Justinian put Roman laws into a book called “The Body Of Civil Laws”

Able advisers Theodora – Justinian's wife Convinced him to change laws: Divorce laws for more legal power for women Allowed a woman to own property in the same amount as dowry Belisarius – leader of the army Crushed Nika revolt Won back lands from Germania

Strengths of the Empire Leaders were clever diplomats Military Well trained Greek fire on naval ships Greek fire Strong, centralized government Constantinople was a center of trade Large tax revenues

The Christian Church Iconoclastic Controversy Some Byzantines kept icons (pictures or statues of Jesus, Mary, etc.) Iconoclasts - believed keeping icons was wrong Emperor Leo III ordered all relics be destroyed The Pope called a meeting of church officials Declared icons to be ok Contributed to the Great Schism (split in the church) Roman Catholic Church in Rome Eastern Orthodox in Constantinople

Byzantine Culture Cyril and Methodius were Christians that helped spread the gospel Created an alphabet for the Slavs Cyrillic language Art Mosaic – picture or design made from small pieces of enamel or glass Architecture Hagia Sophia – “holy wisdom”

The Decline of the Empire Conflicts with outside powers Persians, Slavs, Turks, Muslims, Germans Even disagreements with Western Empire caused conflicts Seljuq Turks captured Asia Minor Sunni dynasty in Persia, preceded Safavids Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople

Legacy: Impacted Russia Religion: Eastern Orthodox Language Art/Architecture Achievements: Built the Hagia Sofia Spread Christianity Justinian’s Code of Laws Continued Roman culture and ideals after the fall of the Western Roman Empire