1. The Byzantine Empire

2. Essential Question ?????
How did the Byzantine Empire preserve the political and cultural heritage of Rome? Supporting Questions What were three of Justinian's major accomplishments?

3. Time Line: The Byzantine Empire
Date
Event
330
Constantine makes Constantinople his capital
527
Justinian becomes Emperor
Justinian builds the church of Hagia Sophia
1054
The Church in Rome breaks from the Church in Constantinople
1204
Constantinople is occupied by crusaders

4. Setting the Scene: Eastern Roman empire becomes known as the Byzantine empire
Remember…
invaders pounded the Roman empire in the west and so emperors shifted base to eastern Mediterranean.

5. Constantinople
Constantine becomes the sole Emperor of the Roman Empire.
Constantine found new capital for himself and chose Byzantium (today’s Istanbul)
Emperor Constantine rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantium and gave it the name: Constantinople. Becomes “new Rome”
As cities of western roman Empire crumbled, Constantinople prospered.

6. Constantinople

7. Culture
Promoted a brilliant civilization that blended ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian influences with other traditions of the Mediterranean World.

8. The Age The Age of Justinian
Theodora

9. The Age of Justinian: Byzantine Emperor (AD 527-565)
Wanted to recover what had been lost during the fall of Rome
Re-conquered N. Africa, Italy and southern Spain
Victories were temporary
Justinian rebuilt Constantinople; a huge achievements was the church of Hagia Sophia

10. Hagia Sophia

12. Age of Justinian: Code of Laws
Reforms the law
Justinian’s Code – organized all the laws of ancient Rome…
Fairer to women
Can own property and raise their own children after their husbands died.
Children
allowed to choose their own marriage partners.
Slavery was legal
Punishments were detailed and fit the crime
Inspired the modern concept and the very spelling of "justice”

13. Age of Justinian (527 -565): Absolute Power
Justinian ruled as an autocrat with the help of Theodora.
Created a huge Christian empire that reached its greatest size
Autocrat – ruler who has complete authority

14. Byzantine Christianity
Christianity as influential in Byzantine empire as was in Western Europe. But…
Religious division grew between the two regions
Dispute over use of icons (Holy Images)
Byzantine Emperor outlawed prayer to icons
Two branches of Christianity grew further apart
1054 provoked a permanent split between Byzantine, Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church

15. Icons