1. The Byzantine Empire

2. I. After the Fall of Rome
330, Emperor Constantine moved Empire’s capital to Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople
395 – Roman Empire officially split between East and West empires
Two emperors share equal power
After decline of west, eastern Roman Empire would last another 1000 years
Becomes known as Byzantine Empire
The state of the Roman Empire by 476.

3. II. A New Power
527 C.E. – Justinian, a Byzantine noble- man, takes throne of eastern empire
Sent his armies to reconquer western territories
North Africa, Italy, parts of Spain eventually reclaimed in name of Rome
Ruled over almost all of the territory that was once originally Roman Empire
Ruled with absolute power
Head of empire and church
Led to a new age of Roman influence and domination

4. III. New Roman Culture
The Byzantine Empire developed its own culture separate from that of the western empire
Latin no longer most popular language, most people spoke Greek
Restructuring of Roman Law
Justinian Code – based on 400 years of Roman law, made up of four works:
Code: contained 5,000 Roman laws still considered useful
Digest: summarized opinions of Rome’s greatest legal thinkers
Institutes: textbook explaining how to use laws
Novellae: means New Laws, anything passed after the year 534
Covered everything: marriage, slavery, women’s rights, criminal law, and much more
Lasted over 900 years as dominant law

5. III. Continued… Preservation of Greco-Roman culture
Education focused on Greek & Latin grammar, philosophy
Byzantine scholars helped preserve many scholarly works from Ancient Greece and Rome
Along with Muslim scholars, would help influence the Renaissance in western Europe
Justinian ordered the building and construction of many great projects
14-mile stone wall along city coast
Hagia Sophia – once considered greatest church in Christian world
Public baths, aqueducts, courts, schools

6. IV. Split in Christian Church
When Roman Empire split, Christianity began to develop differently in east & west
Causes:
distance and lack of contact/communication
Disagreements on practices/beliefs – use of icons, behavior of Christians
In east: Patriarch was leading bishop, but Emperor head of church
In west: the pope was head of church
Arguments between the eastern patriarch and western pope led to permanent split
Roman Catholic Church in west
Orthodox Church in east

7. V. End of another empire Justinian dies in 565 C.E.
Byzantine Empire faces a continuous stream of problems after his death
Plague of Justinian
Began before Justinian’s death (Justinian himself survived the disease)
542 C.E. – 10,000 people a day were dying
Would come and go until the year 700
Killed up to 25% of population

8. V. concluded. Outside invaders
Sassanid Persians in the east
Muslim armies from south
Lombards in the west
Avars, Slavs, Bulgars in north
Empire slowly shrank due to constant attacks
1350 – reduced to tip of Anatolia
City of Constantinople held until 1453