The Byzantine Empire (330-1453): The Eastern Roman Empire
NAME:_______________________
The Byzantine Empire has been described as the continuation of the Roman Empire.
You are to create a fold book with images comparing the Ancient Roman Empire that
we already studied with the Byzantine Empire. You are to research the Byzantine
Empire using the Internet and answer prompting questions and provide an image or
map to compare the two empires in your fold book. On the last page of your fold book
you are to write a minimum of a 5 sentence persuasive essay to the following question:
“Was the Byzantine Empire the continuing of the Ancient Roman Empire or the creation of
something entirely different?”
TASKS:
1. You will need to correctly fill in the missing blanks on the chart for the Roman Empire
2. Use the Internet to research the questions provided for you. YOU MAY NOT COPY
FROM THE INTERNET! WRITING MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS!!!!!
3. Answers must be typed, cut out, and added to your fold book. Each page will be divided
in half (half for the Romans and half for the Byzantines)
4. Find a map or image as described under the comparison topics that should be put in the
book with the topic it goes with.
5. Create the fold book by folding pages that are appropriately spaced (see handout) and
glue in your typed information and images.
6. Have a book title and use the “comparison topics” as your subtitles for each topic to make
it easier for the reader to find answers.
7. On the last page write your persuasive essay. DO NOT USE THE WORD “I.”
Minimum of 5 sentences with examples to support your opinion based on your research.
Comparison Topics
and Required
Images
GEOGRAPHY/
LOCATION
(map of both empires is
needed, 2 total)
TRADE
(1 image to illustrate
the topic)
FAMOUS RULERS
(images of both famous
rulers)
LAWS
ART AND
ARCHITECTURE
(4 pictures: one of
Roman art and one of
Byzantine; the Coliseum,
and the church built by
Justinian)
RELIGION
(image of Pope and
of the leader of the
Byzantine Church)
LANGUAGE
ESSAY PROMPT
The Roman Empire
Fill in the blanks!
The Byzantine Empire
Answer these in sentence format!!!
Rome is located in present day_____
near the __________ Sea with access
to the ________________ Sea.
What country today would Constantinople be
in? What seas does it have access to?
The Romans thought the
Mediterranean Sea was theirs and
called it “____ Nostrum” because
they controlled all trade between the
people of _________ and Africa
including salt, grain, and metals.
The first and most famous Roman
Emperor was _________. He created
a period Roman peace called the
“_____ ___________” that lasted
200 years beating Mark Antony and
ending the _____ wars that had
plagued Rome.
What people did the Byzantines trade with?
What about their location gave them control
of trade? What trade goods did people want
from them?
The Romans during the Republic had
the _______ Tables and later the
emperors of Rome made laws.
The Romans built bridges, roads,
________ to carry water thanks to
their use of the ____. The greatest
example of their engineering
accomplishments is the Coliseum.
Ancient Roman homes were also
decorated by _______ or wall
paintings.
The Romans converted to Christianity
and they became Roman ________
under the leadership of the
________.
What was the Corpus Juris Civilis? What does
this mean in English? Who created it and
what is it based on?
What type of artist decoration did the
Byzantines use (look at the images of
Justinian and Empress Theodora)? Describe
this. What church built by Justinian in
Constantinople was the greatest example of
engineering built in the Byzantine Empire?
Who was Justinian and when did he rule?
How did he increase the empire to its greatest
size and who did he have to defeat in war to
do this? Who helped Justinian rule the
empire?
What was the Great Schism? What was the
disagreement about icons? What religion
today would the people of the Byzantine
Empire belong to today? What is the head of
this religion called?
What was the official language of the
Byzantine Empire? What was the Cyrillic
Alphabet? Who created it and what Slavic
nations use it today?
The official language of the church
and the empire was ________. This
language would greatly influence the
development of ________,
Portuguese, Romanian, French,
English, and _______.
Answer the prompt: “Was the Byzantine Empire the continuing of the
Ancient Roman Empire or the creation of something entirely
different?”
DO NOT USE THE WORD “I.”
Minimum of 5 sentences. Give reasons from the above questions to support your
answer.
I prefer to fold it and staple it
at the top twice.
GRADING RUBRIC
Possible Points
GEOGRAPHY/
LOCATION
9
TRADE
9
FAMOUS
RULERS
11
LAWS
7
ART AND
ARCHITECTURE
13
RELIGION
12
LANGUAGE
11
ESSAY PROMPT
10
SPELLING
4
OVERALL
QUALITY
4
Points Earned
3 points for Roman blanks
4 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
2 points for maps
9 POINTS TOTAL
2 points for Roman blanks
6 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
1 points for image
9 POINTS TOTAL
3 points for Roman blanks
6 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
2 points for images of rulers
11 POINTS TOTAL
1 points for Roman blanks
6 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
7 POINTS TOTAL
3 points for Roman blanks
6 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
4 points for maps
13 POINTS TOTAL
2 points for Roman blanks
8 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
2 points for maps
12 POINTS TOTAL
3 points for Roman blanks
8 points for Byzantine answers (2 per question)
11 POINTS TOTAL
5 points for minimum of 5 sentences
4 points for facts (4 needed to support your opinion)
1 point for not using “I”
10 POINTS TOTAL
4 points for 0 mistakes
3 points for 1-3 mistakes
2 points for 4-6 mistakes
1 more than 6 mistakes
4 points for a neat, quality project, that is colorful
with easy to find topic titles
3 points for not fully colored, but still neat with easy
to find topics
2 slightly messy, but easy to find topics
1 not the neatest project
WORTH 90 POINTS
________/90