Lecture 11
The Byzantine Empire
Islam and Byzantium
Collapse of Roman Power led to emergence of 3 new civilizations
West: Christian European civilization
Southern-eastern Mediterranean: Islamic
East: Christian Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire
The Reign of Justinian
•Well trained and determined to re-establish the Roman Empire over the
entire Mediterranean world
•Belisarius defeated the Vandals and the Ostrogoths
•His new empire fell within three years of his death
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The Codification of Roman Law
•Justinian’s most lasting contribution
•Basis of imperial law in the east until 1453
•Basis of the European legal system
Life in Constantinople: Emperor’s Building Program
•Rebuilt Constantinople after revolt
•City important as chief port of exchange of goods from East to West
•Public works, churches—Hagia Sophia, 537
•Importance of the Hippodrome
From Eastern Roman to Byzantine Empire
Problems after Justinian’s death
Most serious challenge to the east was Islam
Problems in the Balkans and the Bulgars
Beginning of eighth century saw it as just an eastern Mediterranean state
Now has unique civilization of its own: Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire in the Eighth Century
Greek was the language of the empire
Christianity was the religion of the empire
Widespread use of icons led to the iconoclastic controversy
Leo III (717-741) outlawed the use of icons
Pope Gregory II (715-731) of Rome opposed the edicts
Separation between Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy (break in 1054)
Emperor in the east was absolute and thought to be chosen by God
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The Zenith of Byzantine Civilization
Under Michael III there was a revival
Reforms and noticeable intellectual renewal
Problems
Religious controversy over revised Nicene Creed
Macedonian Dynasty
Remarkable number of achievements
Cultural influence
Period of capable rulers and strong civil service
Converting the Slavs
New Challenges to the Byzantine Empire
After the Macedonian dynasty, empire has series of incompetent rulers
Problem of growing division between the Roman Catholic church and the Greek Orthodox
church
Eastern Orthodox church would not accept the Pope’s claim as the sole head of
the church
Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius excommunicated each other
Renewed external threats
A new dynasty, the Comneni, revived the empire
Fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Turks, 1453
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