Instructions for Flip Book Questions and Answers by Alex
Vasilakopoulos 4/13/15
The birth of the Byzantine Empire - When and why was the Byzantine Empire created?
Where was the Byzantine Empire located?
❏ created to split the Roman Empire in half by Diocletian to make it easier to rule
❏ created on May 11, 330 CE
❏ It was located in Eastern and Southern Europe
Constantine’s Plan - What actions did Emperor Constantine take to try and spare the
remains of the Roman Empire?
❏ rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantium
❏ renamed it Constantinople
❏ while emperor, Constantine made the Byzantine Empire thrive and become
powerful
❏ he also embraced Christianity
Saving Greco-Roman Culture - What elements of Greco-Roman culture were saved by the
leaders of the new Byzantine Empire?
❏ the language of Greek became the official language in the 6th century
❏ when the rest of the Roman Empire fell, Greek culture resurfaced
❏ art and architecture were greatly influenced by the Greeks and Romans
A Brilliant Leader Expands an Empire - What reforms did Emperor Justinian institute to
strengthen and expand the Byzantine Empire
❏ had all existing Roman laws reviewed and had them rewritten into a book known as
the Justinian Code
Justinian’s Code - Why was Justinian’s Code an important contribution to the field of law
and justice?
❏ made the laws less confusing
❏ it was easier to find the laws
The Hagia Sophia - Describe the architectural and cultural importance of the Hagia Sophia
❏ had a Roman architectural style
❏ it shows the Christianity of the Byzantine Empire
Patron of the Arts - In what way did Justinian support the arts within the empire? What
were most important art forms?
❏ he funded many public projects and encouraged the arts
❏ mosaics and icon paintings were very important
Triumph and Misfortune - What were two of Justinian’s greatest accomplishments? What
were two problems he faced?
❏ His two greatest accomplishments were the Justinian Code and the Hagia Sophia
❏ One problem was his fellow senators trying to overthrow him
❏ his goals failing
A New Form of Christianity - Describe the new form of Christianity that was created in the
Byzantine Empire. How did the roles of Emperor and Pope change?
❏ split from the Catholic Church in 1054 CE
❏ Constantinople became head of the Eastern Orthodox Church and no longer was
part of the Catholic Church.
❏ The emperor became the Pope for the Byzantine Empire and the Pope didn’t matter
to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Center of Trade - Center of Conflict - Why was Byzantium/Constantinople such an
important city to the Byzantine Empire and neighboring powers?
❏ was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and was on the SIlk Road