2.  Main Idea:  The Eastern Roman Empire grew rich and powerful as the Western Roman Empire Fell.

3.  Lecture Focus:  Think of your own community, how have groups of people from different backgrounds contributed to its character.

4.  Greeks made up the Empire’s largest group, but many other peoples were found within the Empire.  Those included were Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Persians, Slavs and Turks…a very diverse group of people

5.  Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to a new city called Constantinople.  Constantine's city became the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

6.  By 500 C.E., Constantinople was thriving and had become one of the worlds great cities.

7.  One reason for Constantinople’s success was its location, it lay on the water ways between the Black Sea (N E) and the Aegean Sea (S W)  Its harbors offered a safe shelter for fishing boats, trade ships and warships.

8.  Constantinople also sat at the crossroads of trade routes between Europe and Asia.  The trade that passed through made the city extremely wealthy.

9.  Constantinople had a secure land location, lying on a peninsula, the city could be easily defended.  Seas protected it on three sides and on the fourth side, a huge wall was built to guard the city.

13.  Later a huge chain was even strung across the city’s north harbor for greater protections.  Constantinople could not be taken by invaders easily.

15.  Questions:  What Roman Emperor moved his capital city?  Emperor Constantine  What was the name of this city?  Constantinople  What were the names of the two seas in which this city was between?  The Black Sea and the Aegean Sea  What so perfectly protected the city from invaders?  Seas protected the city on three sides and a huge wall on the fourth side

16.  The Byzantines at first followed the Roman Ways.  Constantinople was known as “New Rome” and its public buildings and palaces were built in a Roman style.

17.  The city even had an oval arena called the Hippodrome, where chariot races and other events were held.

19.  Byzantine political and social life also were based on that of Rome.  Emperors spoke Latin and enforced Roman Laws.

20.  The empire’s poor people received free bread and shows of entertainment.  Wealthy people lived in town or on large farming estates…in fact many of these wealthy people had once lived in Rome.

21.  As time passed, the Byzantine Empire became less Roman and more Greek.  Most Byzantines spoke Greek and honored their Greek past.

23.  Byzantine Emperors and officials began to speak Greek as well…  Some ideas also came from the Egyptians and the Slavs, though not as much as Greece.

24.  Some other customs came from Persia into the Byzantine Empire.  All of these cultures blended together to form a unique Byzantine Civilization.

25.  Between 500 C.E. and 1200 C.E., the Byzantines had one of the world’s richest and most advances Empires.

26.  Questions:  What was Constantinople known as?  “New Rome”  As time passed the Byzantine Empire became less Roman and more like ____________?  Greek  What other countries and empires had an influence on the Byzantine Empire?  Egypt, Persia and Slavs

27.  Reading Check:  Why do you think the Byzantine Empire had such a blending of such different cultures?  Answer in 2-3 well written sentences…