2. The Byzantine Empire reached its high point in A.D. 500’s. The Empire stretched from Italy to Egypt. Greeks made up its largest group. However, the Byzantine Empire included Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Persians, Slavs, and Turks.

3.  Constantinople’s location paved the way for its great success.  Great harbors between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea made trade easy and provided good protection from attack.  Extensive network of roads between Europe and Asia left behind from the Roman Empire made travel and trade easier.

4.  Most of Byzantine life was influenced by its Roman heritage at first.  As time passed, the Byzantine Empire became less Roman and more Greek.  A massive blending of cultures in the Byzantine Empire helped it become one of the world’s richest and most advanced empires.

5.  Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire from A.D. 527 to A.D. 565.  Justinian controlled the military, made laws, and was supreme judge of the Byzantine Empire.  His wife Theodora helped him run the Byzantine Empire.

6.  Justinian ordered the legal scholar Tribonian to rewrite and reform the Byzantine legal code.  This was done to create laws that were more concrete and easily understandable for everyone in the Byzantine Empire.  This set of laws came to be known as the Justinian Code. This, along with many others advancements, helped the Byzantine Empire to last for over 1000 years.

7.  The Byzantine Empire was the center of trade between Europe and Asia.  Byzantine merchants traded farm goods, furs, honey, and enslaved people.  Later on, the Byzantine Empire got involved in the silk trade which really helped it grow more prosperous.

9.  One of Justinian’s greatest achievements was the building of the Hagia Sophia which was an extremely elaborate church.  The walls of the Hagia Sophia was covered in mosaics, which was typical of Byzantine churches.  Today, the Hagia Sophia has become a large religious center in Istanbul, Turkey.

10.  Family was the center of social life in the Byzantine Empire.  Byzantine women were not encouraged to live independent lives, and were expected to stay at home to take care of the family.  Women did have some rights thanks to Empress Theodora.  Several Byzantine women were even able to act as regents for their husbands.

11.  Learning and education was highly respected by the Byzantine people.  Education was supported by the Byzantine government.  Byzantine schools taught boys religion, medicine, law, grammar, and math.  Many women did not receive formal public education in the Byzantine Empire.

12. By in large, what did the Byzantine people believe about religion (p. 334)?