1. Essential Questions:
How do civilizations evolve?
How does geography influence the way people live?

2. How did the Byzantine Empire become rich and powerful?
The New Rome
Question:
How did the Byzantine Empire become rich and powerful?

3. Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Greek city of Byzantium, renamed it Constantinople, where it flourished
A variety of people lived in the Byzantine Empire (Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, Jews, Persians, Slavs, and Turks)
Byzantine Empire exhibited great cultural diversity

4. Considered wealthiest part of the Roman Empire
Roman influence in architecture (Hippodrome), language (Latin), and laws
Heavy Greek Influence

5. Eastern Rome becomes Byzantine Empire
Located between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, the Byzantine Empire had excellent harbors for fishing, trading ships, and warships
Considered the “crossroads of trade routes” in the Mediterranean (connected Asia, Europe, and Africa)

6. Why was the city of Constantinople difficult to attack?
Easy to defend due to its location on a peninsula, surround by water on three sides and a stone wall on the fourth, with a metal chain blocking the harbor
Black Sea
peninsula
Geography:
Why was the city of Constantinople difficult to attack?
Aegean Sea

7. Justinian’s Rule Justinian the Great Gettin' Bizzy With It
Essential Question:
How did Justinian and Empress Theodora strengthen the Byzantine Empire?
Gettin' Bizzy With It
Justinian the Great

8. Justinian Educated at a school in Byzantium
Chief advisor to Uncle during his reign as emperor
Skilled general and a strong leader
Governed with supreme power, controlled military, and made all legal decisions
Considered greatest Byzantine Emperor
Took wife, Theodora’s, advice during uprising, fought against rebellion
Successful in defeating rebellion, restoring order and strengthening his empire

9. Theodora Intelligent and ambitious wife to Justinian
Actively participated in Byzantine government
Helped women win more legal rights, including owning land
Supported Justinian during rebellion and encouraged him to stay and fight against angry tax payers

10. Justinian’s Legal Reforms
Ordered a group of legal scholars to create a simpler and better code of laws for empire, wanted uniformity and clarity in laws
“Justinian Code” helped officials and businesspeople better understand Byzantine Empire’s laws
The Justinian Code has become the basis for legal systems in nearly every country of the world (was used in the creation of Declaration of Independence of the United States of America)

11. Book I, Of Persons VIII. Slaves
1. Slaves are in the power of masters, a power derived from the law of nations: for among all nations it may be remarked that masters have the power of life and death over their slaves, and that everything acquired by the slave is acquired for the master.
Book II, Of Things
I. Division of Things
28. If the wheat of Titius is mixed with yours, when this takes place by mutual consent, the mixed heap belongs to you in common because each body, that is, each grain, which before was the property of one or other of you, has by your mutual consent been made your common property; but, if the intermixture were accidental, or made by Titius without your consent, the mixed wheat does not then belong to you both in common; because the grains still remain distinct, and retain their proper substance. ...if either of you keep the whole quantity of mixed wheat, the other has a real action [claim or suit] for the amount of wheat belonging to him, but it is in the province of the judge to estimate the quality of the wheat belonging to each.
1. The Justinian Code has four different parts called books. What books do you see here?
2. What does the first sample tell you about slavery in both empires? How do you think slaves were treated?
3. Review Law Number 28. Under this law, what happens if someone takes your property without your permission? How do you think this law helped the government maintain order?
4. Why do you think it was important for the Roman and Byzantine empires to have extensive legal codes?

12. Behavioral Expectations:
Justinian’s Rule
Essential Question:
How did Justinian and Empress Theodora strengthen the Byzantine Empire?
Behavioral Expectations:
You will work with a partner during this activity.
Visit each “exhibit” and ready carefully. Fill in your notes accordingly.
Unlike the Roman Empire, we will not split up 

13. Emperors ordered the construction of churches, forts, and government building through the Byzantine Empire
“Hagia Sophia” was built under the orders of Emperor Justinian. It took the labor of 10,000 men
Meaning “Holy Wisdom”
After construction finished in 537 A.D., Hagia Sophia became the religious center of the Byzantine Empire

14. Converted into a mosque (Muslim house of worship) by Ottoman Turks in 1453 A.D.
Decorated with walls of polished marble, gold and silver ornaments, and mosaics

15. III. Mosaics- patterns or pictures made from small pieces of colored class
Most show figures of saints or Christian holy figures

16. Education was of utmost importance
Boys studied religion, medicine, law, arithmetic, and grammar
Most girls were schooled at home

17. Military
Justinian wanted to restore Roman Empire and bring back the glory of Rome
Under Belisarius, the Byzantine Army was strengthened and reorganized
The army was highly equipped with armors, bows, and lances
Calvary- army mounted on horse instead of walking made for more efficient fighting
A.D. 533 to A.D. 555, the Byzantine Military conquered territories that were once part of the Roman Empire before its fall in A.D.476 (including parts of Italy, Spain, and Northern Africa)
Conquests

18. The Byzantine Military defeated the Persians, securing the eastern border of the Byzantine Empire

19. Justinian’s Plague- swept through Asia and Europe in the mid-500s, killing millions of people and crippling the Byzantine Military because of the deaths of many soldiers, weakening the Byzantine Military’s ability to fight wars