The Byzantine Empire
Capital: Greek city of
Byzantium
Rebuilt by Emperor
Constantine
Renamed
Constantinople
CONSTANTINOPLE
Center of Byzantine Empire
Trade center  strategically located
Roman Heritage:
Public entertainment
 Chariot races: The Hippodrome

The Age of Justinian
527 – 565 – reign of Justinian
Autocracy – total rule by one leader (autocrat)
 Golden Age of the Byzantine Empire
 Justinian determined to revive grandeur of ancient
Rome – set out to conquer lost territories

The Age of Justinian
Beautified
Built
Constantinople
Hagia Sophia (“ Holy
Wisdom”)
HAGIA SOPHIA (“holy wisdom”)
HAGIA SOPHIA (“holy wisdom”)
HAGIA SOPHIA (“holy wisdom”)
The Justinian Code
•Corpus Juris
Civilis = civil law
•Collection of
Roman laws
•Preserved and
transmitted
heritage of
Roman law
THEODORA
Strong wife of Justinian
Saved the empire during
Nika revolt:
Justinian was going to
flee, but Theodora refused
 Justinian stayed and
crushed rioters
 30,000 dead in
Hippodrome

After Justinian: empire declined
Foreign attacks by Arabs, Slavs, Vikings, Mongols, Turks
•Most territories lost,
except for Asia Minor
(Greece and Turkey)
•Byzantine Empire held
on to trade  money
economy flourished
Byzantine Christianity
Religion is very important.
Byzantine Christianity (Eastern Orthodox) is
different from Roman Catholic Christianity
(Western Europe)
Roman Catholic
Where?
Leader
Western Europe Byzantine Empire
Pope
Clergy members
Vow of chastity
Language
Latin
Most important
day
Position on
icons (*holy images*)
Eastern
Orthodox
Christmas
Allowed
Emperor
Allowed to marry
Greek
Easter
Not allowed
(iconoclasts)
SCHISM
1054
Schism took place:
permanent split between Eastern
Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic
Church

DECLINE OF THE BYZANTINE
EMPIRE:
Result of struggles over succession and
constant warfare
1453 – Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks;
renamed Istanbul
Hagia Sophia –
turned into Muslim
Mosque
BYZANTINE
HERITAGE & LEGACY:
Byzantine culture – blend of:
Hellenistic culture (Greek science, philosophy,
arts, literature), Roman law and engineering
Christian beliefs & traditions
Influenced Western Europe and the Middle East
BYZANTINE ART:
Religious Mosaics
KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING:
Byzantines preserved classic works of
ancient Greece and Rome
Byzantine historians
First female historian Anna Comnena
 Procopius

CYRILLIC ALPHABET
Created by monks of
the Byzantine Empire
Spread with Eastern
Orthodox religion
throughout Greece,
Russia, Eastern
Europe