Emperor Justinian I [Image source:

At its height, the Byzantine Empire was ruled by Justinian I (r ). [Image source:

Justinian was the son of prosperous peasants from Macedonia. [Image source:

Justinian was 44 years-old when he was crowned emperor of the Byzantine Empire in A.D [Image source: city.org/images/city/history/justinian.jpg]

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Over the objections of his court, Justinian married an ambitious circus performer by the name of Theodora. [Image source: AGES/Theodora.jpg]

Theodora proved to be a capable empress, actively assisting Justinian in running the government. [Image source:

Theodora’s early life was spent at the Hippodrome, or circus. Her father was a bear keeper and she was a circus performer, but left the circus in her 20s. Most empresses came from noble families. Theodora’s early life gave her a prospective of what life was like for ordinary citizens. Her husband also came from a poor family. Like Rome, a small number of citizens were wealthy, while most were working class or poor.

Emperor Justinian I appointed a commission of ten scholars to codify the empire’s Roman laws. [Image source:

Justinian’s legal reforms His new codes reduced the bulky old Roman codes into one easy to read codex created a book of legal precedents standardized legal training in the empire [Image source:

This work preserved Rome’s legal heritage and became the basis for most European legal systems. [Image source:

Concerned with improving the social standing of women, Theodora persuaded her husband to issue a decree giving a wife the right to own land equal in value to the wealth she brought to the marriage. [Image source:

Empress Theodora also managed to promote other social changes: women gained the right to sue for divorce prohibition against forced prostitution death penalty in cases of rape

Theodora also encouraged her husband to make new laws that: –Allow parents to leave property to daughters –State in trials that the accused is innocent until proven guilty Theodora assisted her husband in choosing government leaders. She believed jobs should be given based on ability and not social class.

Theodora’s determination inspired Justinian to be a more resolute ruler. [Image source:

Political factions later developed deriving their names from the colors worn by charioteers.

The Greens represented the lower class. [Image source:

The Blues represented the upper class. [Image source:

The Nika Revolt resulted from anger over excessive taxation. [Image source:

In A.D. 532 a revolt erupted at a chariot race between the blues/greens. [Image source:

When Empress Theodora refused to evacuate the capital, Emperor Justinian I decided to remain and fight the rebels. [Image source: L]

Eventually 30,000 subjects would perish during the suppression of the rebellion.

The Sassanian Empire of Persia threatened to conquer the eastern provinces of the Byzantine Empire.

Although the Byzantines managed to rally their forces and repel Persian invaders, Justinian had to agree to pay tribute in exchange for peace. [Image source:

With his eastern border temporarily secure, Justinian turned his attention to restoring the Roman empire. [Image source: pg]

Under the leadership of the General Belisarius, the Byzantine armies were strengthened and reorganized. [Image source:

Belisarius then sailed to North Africa with a fleet of 500 ships. Feigning an attack near Egypt, he sailed on to land farther west along the coast.

Between A.D. 533 and A.D. 555, the Byzantines fought a series of wars against the Vandals of North Africa, the Ostrogoths in Italy, and Visigoths in southern Spain. [Image source:

The Byzantines succeeded in conquering these Germanic groups and extended their rule in the west. [Image source:

The success of the Roman campaign allowed Justinian to send Belisarius to the East in order to suppress several eastern barbarian uprisings. Remember: loot, pillage, THEN burn!

Within a generation of Justinian’s death, the empire lost many of its outlying territories. [Image source:

Justinian was very aggressive in the construction of roads,... [Image source:

fortresses,... [Image source:

aqueducts,... [Image source:

... and monasteries. [Image source:

Justinian’s most famous project was the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantiople. [Image source:

Hagia Sophia means “Holy Wisdom”. [Image source: