1. Introduction to the Byzantine Empire
Ms. Carmelitano

2. Location The Byzantine Empire rose out of the Eastern Roman Empire
The Western portion was invaded by Germanic tribes – the Huns
The Eastern portion survived, by Constantine
Constantine moved the capital of Rome to the city of Byzantium (in the east)
330 AD: Renamed Constantinople

3. Justinian
527 AD
Succeeded his uncle to the throne of the Eastern Empire
Wife: Empress Theodora
The most powerful woman in Byzantine’s history
She was originally an actress
Met with foreign envoys, passed laws, built churches
After she died in AD, Justinian no longer passed any major laws

4. Conquest
533
Justinian sent general Belisarius, to recover Northern Africa from Germanic Tribes
Forces were able to win back most of Italy and parts of Spain
After 16 years:
Justinian was emperor of most of old Roman empire: His forces could not re-take Rome
Called himself “The new Caesar”

5. Map of the Byzantine Empire

6. The New Caesar
Justinian ruled with absolute power: Like the Caesars before him
Headed the church and state
Appointed and dismissed bishops
His successors were very brutal
Of 88 Byzantine emperors, 29 would die violently and 13 would give up the throne for a life in the monastery

7. Separation from Rome
The distance from the Western Empire helped citizens of Byzantine Empire form a unique culture
They stopped speaking Latin and began speaking Greek

8. Life in the Empire
Justinian hired legal experts to regulate society after re-uniting the two empires
The Panel combed through 400 years of Roman Law
It changed laws that were outdated and contradictory to write a new set of laws
Called: Justinian’s Code

9. Codification of Laws
The panel created a single, uniform code known as the Justinian Code
The Code was written in four sections for laws of people, things, interstate succession, and contracts
It was comprised of four works
1. The Code contained 5,000 Roman laws that were still use for Byzantine Empire
2. The Digest quoted and summarized the opinions of Rome’s greatest legal thinkers about the laws – 50 volumes
3. The Institutes was a textbook that told the law students how to use the laws
4. The Novellae (new laws) presented legislation passed after 534

10. Code discussed marriage, slavery, property, inheritance, women’s rights, and criminal justice
Served for 900 years