The Byzantine Empire
Byzantium ca. 1000
Overview
Controlled important territory in the Balkans, the northern middle east,
and the eastern Mediterranean
Political heir to Rome but with own geography and focus
Empire lasted 1,000 years between Rome’s collapse and the final
overthrow of the regime by Turkish invaders
Constantinople was a great city of the world
Orthodox Christian churches spread
Expanded a major civilization to part of the world not controlled by
one- western Russia (current Ukraine and Belarus)
Huge impact on Russia
Crucial to understand the similarities and differences of the two
Christian churches
Origins of the Empire
In some senses began in 4th century when Romans
(Constantine) set up eastern capital in Constantinople (built
on modest town called Byzantium) and separate rulers
ruled this portion of the empire
Latin was language for centuries until Justinian changed it
to Greek, which enabled scholars to read ancient Greek
texts
Benefited from high levels of commerce (new “blood” in
bureaucratic positions)
Successfully warded off invasions by Sasanian Empire in
Persia and the Huns
Justinian’s Achievements
533 CE tried to conquer the west again (heavily
influenced by his wife Theodora)
Contributions lay in rebuilding Constantinople Hagia Sophia; codification of Roman law; and
short-term military conquest (Belisarius made
gains in North Africa and Italy but soon were lost)
Westward ambitions ultimately weaken empire.
Wars cost money- so , increased taxes
Arab Pressure and the Empire’s
Defenses
Justinian’s successors concentrated on defending the eastern empire
Mid 7th-century Arab’s challenging Byzantine naval supremacy and
repeatedly attack Constantinople
717-718 CE attack on the capital beaten back because of a new
weapon, Greek fire (petroleum, quicklime, and sulfur mixture), that
devastated Arab ships
Again, money needed for defense, so more taxes. This ultimately
weakened the rural population and forced them to greater dependence
Muslims conquer Crete in 9th century, which allows them to harass
Byzantine shipping in the Mediterranean
Bulgaria also pressed down on Balkans but ultimately gets defeated
and joins part of the empire in Constantinople
Society and Government
Similarities to early patterns in China- emperor
ordained by god- Mandate of Heaven;
At key points women held imperial throneEmpress Theodora (981-1056)
Very elaborate bureaucracy
Bureaucrats could be recruited from all classes of
society, so aristocrats dominated but talent came
from elsewhere as well (china sim.)
Specialization of bureaucrats
Elaborate system of spies
Careful military organization
Economy
Economically dependent on
Constantinople’s hold over countryside.
Peasant class provided goods and bulk of
tax revenues and food prices were kept
artificially low to keep them content
Had luxury goods
Merchant class had little political power
Icons and Iconoclasm
Culturally depended on secular traditions of
Hellenism
Icon painting- paintings of saints and other
religious figures, often richly ornamented
Iconoclasm- breaking of images
Split Between East and West
General orientation towards Asia and Eastern Europe
Translation of the Greek Bible into Latin
Attempt for the Pope to gain control (incl. intervening in
icon dispute)
Religious art different
All these reasons above helped divide it but not
permanently separate it
1054- church patriarch in Constantinople raised old issues
leading the Pope to excommunicate him and his followers.
In turn, the patriarch excommunicated all Roman Catholics
The Empire’s Decline
After the split long period of decline
Turkish invaders (who had converted to Islam in Central
Asia) put pressure on, 11th century Seljuks seized almost
all the Asiatic provinces- cutting off important tax
revenues and food supply. 1071- Byzantine emperor lost
battle of Mazikert
Creation of new independent Slavic kingdoms, such as
Serbia, showed the empire’s diminished power
Asked for West’s help but was denied. Actually, helped
Crusaders to go in
1453 Turks seize Constantinople and by 1461 most of the
remaining pockets of Byzantine control
Effects of the Fall
Byzantine had been an important and
durable empire and an anchor in the
Mediterranean amid surge of Islam
Trading contacts and ability to preserve and
spread classical and Christian learning made
it a vital unit
After fall influence affected other societies
inc. Ottoman empire