1. What Happened to the Great Roman Empire?

2. What was at once the Roman empire’s greatest achievement, but also it’s greatest problem?
The Size of it’s Territory!

3. THE EAST!!! So, along comes Roman emperor DIOCLETIAN.
He’s got a problem with the size of his territory. What do you think he did?
IN 284 AD HE SPLIT IT IN HALF!
Which half do YOU think he took?
THE EAST!!!

4. From NOW ON the Roman Empire would be split into two halves!

5. What is the lasting impact of splitting the Roman empire in two?
In 410 AD Rome was finally sacked by barbarians.
The western Roman empire fell into chaos and poverty, while the eastern Roman empire carried on for another 1000 years!
EAST
WEST

6. One more thing about Diocletian
My religion is PAGANISM. I worship many gods, like Venus, Mars and Jupiter.
“I hate Christians”
Under Diocletian’s rule many Christians in the Roman empire were murdered and their churches were burned!

7. Emperor Constantine (274 AD-337AD)
He established the capitol of the Eastern Roman empire in a town called “Byzantium”.
That’s why it became known as the Byzantine Empire!!
BYZANTIUM was an old GREEK city.

8. ISTANBUL Byzantium was renamed Constantinople
It became the wealthiest and most beautiful city in the world! WHY?
Because of its strategic location between Asia and Europe!
Today this city is known as….
ISTANBUL

9. One more thing that Constantine did…
One more thing that Constantine did… He became a Christian and turned his entire empire Christian!

10. 1. List two things for which Diocletian is best known.
Split the Roman empire into two halves.
Persecuted (punished) Christians
2. List two things for which Constantine is best known.
Moved his capitol to Greek city of Byzantium.
Christianized the Byzantine Empire.
3. What language was most common for the people of Constantinople (Byzantium)?
Greek
4. What language was most common in Rome?
Latin