Or, the Romaioi
(what does that look like? In which
language?
Adapted from AKINS HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Loessin’s World History
Students recall:
In what year did the
Western Roman empire
finally collapse
due to the invasions
by Germanic tribes?
476 A.D.
330 C.E. - Emperor
Constantine moved the
capital out of Rome and
to the eastern capital of
Byzantium, a city he
renamed for himself –
Constantinople.
The eastern half of the
old Roman empire
would now become
the Byzantine Empire.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
• Constantinople
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Belisarius was Emperor Justinian’s head general and
one of the greatest military commanders of his time.
He spearheaded Byzantium's attempts to rebuild the
Roman Empire, retaking North Africa from the
Vandals. His very successes, however, made him many
enemies. Incriminated in a plot against Justinian, his eyes
were put out on the Emperor's orders in 561 A.D.
Belisarius
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
According to a historian named
Procopius,
Belisarius was stripped of all his
possessions and was reduced to
begging in the streets
of Byzantium.
“Belisarius,” by Jacques-Louis David,
French Neoclassical painting, 1781.
BYZANTINE WEALTH
From Trade
What can you
infer about
Constantinople’s
location that
made it a
strategic
location to
benefit from
Trade?
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
BYZANTINE WEALTH
From Trade
Very typical
Byzantine Art:
Church
adornments &
Religious icons
Left:
Icon depicting
“Presentation of
Christ in the
Temple,”
Byzantine wood
painted, with
gold-leaf
background.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Established center of trade, this brought economic prosperity.
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
1.
2.
3.
4.
His legal experts complete large body of civil laws – called
“Justinian’s Code”
Justinian appointed a commission in 528 A.D., consisting of
ten persons, to make a new collection of imperial constitutions.
The result was to gather together all Roman law into one code,
known as the Justinian Code.
The Justinian Code was divided into four parts:
The Institutes served as a textbook in law for students and lawyers.
The Digest was a casebook covering many trials and decisions.
The Codex was a collection of statutes and principles, and
The Novels contained new proposed laws.
This legal code became the foundation of law in most western European countries.
It was a compilation of early Roman laws and legal principles, illustrated by cases, and
combined with an explanation of new laws and future legislation to be put into effect.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Established center of trade, this brought economic prosperity.
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
His legal experts complete large body of civil laws – called
“Justinian’s Code”
Marriage to Theodora
Theodora
Born 500 A.D.
Married Justininian 525 A.D.
Died 548 A.D.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
“Empress Theodora and her attendants”
From a collection of mosaics in the presbytery of the Church of San Vitale,
Ravenna Italy, ca.547 A.D.
Theodora was the daughter of a bearkeeper
at the Hippodrome. Hardly the kind of
background one would expect of a future
Empress. Her former profession as an
actress was also a mark against her.
Needless to say Justinian’s marriage to her
created quite a scandal.
The center median
of the former Hippodrome racetrack
in Constantinople
is today a city park
in modern-day Istanbul, Turkey.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
The Hippodrome was the center of
Byzantine social life much like our sports
arenas are today.
Huge amounts were bet on chariot races, and
the whole city was divided between fans of
the Blue and Green chariot racing teams.
The rivalry between Blues and Greens
sometimes became mingled with political
squabbles, and riots the size of civil wars
would erupt in the city.
The most severe of these was in 532.
The center median
of the former Hippodrome racetrack
in Constantinople
is today a city park
in modern-day Istanbul, Turkey.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
These riots in 532 A.D. were called the Nika Riots
("Nika"= "Victory!"),
and grew from political unrest
over the government's new tax measures.
Rival gangs of Blues and Greens
(admirers of rival chariot-racing teams)
fought in the streets.
Justinian wanted to leave the city during the riots, but two of his
generals (Belisarius and Narses) and his wife Theodora, persuaded
him to stay.
Theodora took it upon herself to raise a personal army,
an army that eventually killed 35,000 people in a single day.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Established center of trade, this brought economic prosperity.
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
His legal experts complete large body of civil laws – called
“Justinian’s Code”
Marriage to Theodora
Theodora
Born 500 A.D.
Married Justinian 525 A.D.
Died 548 A.D.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Theodora and Justinian preside over the dedication
of the magnificent church Hagia Sophia (Church of “Holy
Wisdom”)
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Hagia Sophia is the mother of all
Eastern Orthodox Christian churches
built in the Byzantine tradition and style.
The dome of the Hagia Sofia
must haveve been an
impressive sight to
maritime merchants
arriving at Constantinople.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Early accounts suggest that this site
had been the site of a pagan temple and
was replaced with a church by the Eastern
Roman Emperor Constantius,
son of Emperor Constantine who had
liberated the Christian faith from
centuries of persecution.
Constantius' church was dedicated
in 360 AD. and was known as
the Great Church because it was the
largest at the time.
It was later destroyed in mob riots.
Hagia Sophia
(Church of “Holy Wisdom”)
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Following the destruction
caused by the Nika rebellion,
Justinian ordered that
construction begin on a new
basilica such as had never been
seen before. The construction
work lasted from 532 to 537;
the new church was dedicated
December 27, 537.
Architecturally the grand
basilica represented a major
revolution in church building in
that it featured a huge dome
which necessitated the use of
new ideas in order to support
the weight of this dome, a feat
which had not been attempted
before. The dome would
become characteristic of the
“Romanesque” architectural
style in Byzantine church
construction and represented
the vault of heaven.
1,000 years after it’s construction
in 537, Constantinople fell to the
Turks in 1453…
and Hagia Sophia
became a mosque…
1,000 years after it’s construction
in 537, Constantinople fell to the
Turks in 1453…
and Hagia Sophia
became a mosque…
…but the original Christian mosaics
continue to adorn the interior.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Established center of trade, this brought economic prosperity.
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
His legal experts complete large body of civil laws – called
“Justinian’s Code”
Marriage to Theodora
Rebuilt Constantinople and the great church Hagia Sophia
Theodora and Justinian preside
over the dedication
of the magnificent church
Hagia Sophia (Church of “Holy Wisdom”)
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Recognizing POINT OF VIEW
in the telling of History……….
Today the world remembers Justinian as a powerful ruler, a great builder, conqueror,
teacher and lawgiver. But this is only because "history is written by the winners," and
Justinian was a winner. The most important and respected source historian for this
period was Procopius of Caesarea. Procopius accompanied Belisarius on some of his
great conquests, wrote the emperor’s official histories of the wars and of Justinian's
immense building programs. He ensured that we remember Justinian as a superman.
But that was not the whole truth.
Procopius dared not say what was really going on. He feared for his life (and the lives
of his family) if he did. So he wrote another, secret history, with strict instructions that it
was not to be published until after his death. This history was so shocking, so
devastating, that scholars wanted to believe it was a forgery. Yet every test that can be
made on it, shows it is no forgery. According to Procopius, the emperor Justinian who
ruled the eastern Roman empire in the 6th century was demonic in his cruelty –
determined to whatever it took to rebuild the empire –
“yet in rebuilding it, he was destroying it.”
Procopius was not alone in secretly hating Justinian.
The chronicler Evagrius also agreed that Justinian would go to hell.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
1. What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?
Conquered new lands and retook former Roman lands so that
his new Byzantine empire almost as big as Rome’s had been.
Established center of trade, this brought economic prosperity.
Justinian I
Ruled 527-565 A.D.
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
Beloved
Christian
Emperor?
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
His legal experts complete large body of civil laws – called
“Justinian’s Code”
Marriage to Theodora
Rebuilt Constantinople and the great church Hagia Sophia
Is it common
to hear two
opposing
Or….
views about
great men in
history?
Brutal
Political
Tyrant?
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
565 – Death of Justinian
Size
2. How did the plague affect Constantinople? Constantinople
Sizeofof
empire,
well at the
Killed so many people it left the empire weakwasempire
death
of
defended.
800
A.D.
and vulnerable to enemies.
Justinian.
622 – Muhammad’s Hijra
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
CONSTANTINOPLE’S STRONG MILITARY DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY
SAVE THE DAY
On two occasions, from 674 to 677, and again in 717-18, Arab armies besieged
Constantinople by land and sea. Superior military organization, the city’s high walls
and its strategic location, and the timely invention of one of history's most decisive
weapons, a medieval form of napalm dubbed "Greek fire“ used by the Byzantine
naval fleet enabled the Byzantines to weather the storm. The cost to both sides
was high. By 800 A.D., Byzantium had lost most of her territory south of the Taurus
Mountains and much of the remainder of the empire lay devastated. The Arabs lost
untold thousands of men through futile attacks against Constantinople's defenses.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
Kingdom of the Franks
565 – Death of Justinian
622 – Muhammad’s Hegira
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
800 – The Pope in Rome crowns the
Frankish king Charlemagne the
new “Holy Roman Emperor”
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
Meanwhile…in the West
The Western region was
under attack again by
Muslims, Vikings, and other
groups. The Pope begged
for the help of the Frankish
king Charlemagne. In return
for his efforts, the Pope
made him the new Holy
Roman emperor in the West.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
NORSEMEN
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
• Kiev
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
565 – Death of Justinian
• Rome
622 – Muhammad’s Hegira
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
800 – The Pope in Rome crowns the
Frankish king Charlemagne the
new “Holy Roman Emperor”
820 – Vikings begin explorations and
terrorize Europe
The Vikings (or, Norsemen)
settled around Kiev and
intermarried with the eastern
Slavs. These are the ancestors
of the Rus (or, Russian people).
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
SLAVS
• Constantinople
NORSEMEN
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
• Kiev
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
SLAVS
565 – Death of Justinian
• Rome
622 – Muhammad’s Hegira
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
800 – The Pope in Rome crowns the
Frankish king Charlemagne the
new “Holy Roman Emperor”
820 – Vikings begin explorations and
terrorize Europe
860– Russians invade Constantinople
for the first of three times.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
In the 9th c., Prince Oleg
of the Kievan Rus
launched a surprise attack
against Constantinople –
hanging his shield upon
the gate of the great city.
• Constantinople
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
NORSEMEN
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
• Kiev
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
565 – Death of Justinian
622 – Muhammad’s Hegira
SLAVS
• Rome
• Constantinople
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
800 – The Pope in Rome crowns the
Frankish king Charlemagne the
new “Holy Roman Emperor”
820 – Vikings begin explorations and
terrorize Europe
860– Russians invade Constantinople
for the first of three times.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
3. How did the Byzantines prop up their
shaky empire? First they used bribes,
then diplomacy, then political marriages.
Then reorganized their Empire’s military.
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
NORSEMEN
537 – Justinian
completes building
the Hagia Sophia
• Kiev
542 – Deadly plague sweeps
through Constantinople
565 – Death of Justinian
622 – Muhammad’s Hegira
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
800 – The Pope in Rome crowns
Frankish king Charlemagne
“Holy Roman Emperor”
820 – Vikings begin explorations
and terrorize Europe
860– Russians invade Constantinople
for the first of three times.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
SLAVS
• Rome
• Constantinople
750 – 1000 A.D. “Western Europe and Eastern Byzantine Empire both face Invaders”
Vikings
(Norsemen)
SLAVS
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
“The Great Schism in Christianity
must not be viewed as the result of only
one quarrel in the Church.
It is not true that
after centuries of perfect peace,
suddenly on account of one dispute,
the Christian world fell apart.
It was rather a case of a breach of communication caused by long-festering anger and
bad feelings, not by a rival theology initially. It would be inconceivable that hundreds of
Bishops would suddenly break away from union with their chief, if all had been going
smoothly before.
The great schism is rather the result of a very gradual process. Its Causes must be
sought centuries before there was any suspicion of their final effect.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
The leader of the Roman Catholic
Church in the West is the Pope.
Rome
.
The leader of the Eastern Orthodox
Church in Constantinople is
the Patriarch.
4.
What factors led to the Great Schism?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority The East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues of Faith
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible that was the final Authority.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
The leader of the Roman Catholic
Church in the West is the Pope.
The leader of the Eastern Orthodox
Church in Constantinople is
the Patriarch.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
The leader of the Roman Catholic
Church in the West is the Pope.
The leader of the Eastern Orthodox
Church in Constantinople is
the Patriarch.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
The leader of the Roman Catholic
Church in the West is the Pope.
The leader of the Eastern Orthodox
Church in Constantinople is
the Patriarch.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
* the Icon Controversy
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
* the Icon Controversy
Useful Aids
for Religious
Devotion?
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
ICONOGRAPHY
Or…a
form of
Idol worship?
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
* the Icon Controversy
Icons - sacred religious images.
representing saints, Christ, and the Virgin, as well as
narrative scenes such as Christ's Crucifixion.
While today the term is most closely associated
with wooden panel painting,
in Byzantium icons could be crafted in all media,
including marble, ivory, gemstone, precious metal,
enamel, and mosaic.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
* the Icon Controversy
Icons - sacred religious images.
Iconoclasts – those who opposed the use of icons
and saw the practice as idolatry.
Byzantine
Emperor
Leosome
III
believed
the
Icons
The
matter
were not
went
as on
popular
for
in the
time
West,
until
but
success
of1054
the Arabs
waswith
to
their
the
finally
Popeindecided
the
toPope
side
indue
thethe
West
poorand the
imagery-hating
Muslim
religion,
masses
Patriarch
in in
thethe
East
East
who wanted
them –
and thus
to ban
Christian
icons.
hoping
each
excommunicated
he tried
couldtowin
greater
the
other.
authority
there.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
4.
What factors (disagreements) led to the Great Schism in the Church?
* Language – the West spoke Latin; the East spoke Greek.
* Church Authority - East said the Bible was the final Authority on all issues
West said it was the Pope’s interpretation of the Bible.
* Divorce – Eastern Patriarch began to allow divorces.
Western Pope forbid divorce.
* Priests Right to Marry – Orthodox priests could marry. Catholic priests may not.
* the Icon Controversy
Icons - sacred religious images.
Iconoclasts – those who opposed the use of icons
and saw the practice as idolatry.
Excommunication – to “kick out” of the Church /
forbid one to receive the Church’s sacraments.
Schism – split or division.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
1204 – Crusading Christians from Europe
loot and pillage Constantinople.
5. What was the effect of the Schism?
Christianity was permanently divided
between Roman Catholic (in West) and the
Orthodox Church (in East).
Western – Eastern Christians Clash
The richest city of the world – Constantinoplewas at the mercy of the rowdy Europeans.
The barbarians did horrible things that are
beyond imagination. They tortured and
massacred a large part of the population,
destroyed churches, palaces, monasteries and
even sculptures made by Phidias, stole
thousands of priceless icons, relics and other
holy items, raped young girls and boys.
Not to mention the countless manuscripts of
ancient Greek learning which were burnt by the
ignorant and illiterate Francs. So much was the
hatred of the Europeans for the Greek Empire!
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
THE CRUSADES
A 200 year period of 9 Crusades total in which
the Western European Christians
attempted to retake the “Holy Land” (Jerusalem)
from the Muslim Empire.
The
Western
Christians
from poor
Medieval
Europe…
…were
like silly,
jealous
babies in
a Candy
store.
…to do so each time
meant passing through Constantinople.
The Church of St. Mark’s
in Venice…
…still retains today many of
the treasures that were taken
from Constantinople’s
churches in 1204.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
5. What was the effect of the Schism?
Christianity was permanently divided
between Roman Catholic (in West) and
the Orthodox Church (in East).
1204 – Crusading Christians from Europe
loot and pillage Constantinople.
The looting of Constantinople in 1204
by the European Christian Crusaders
was an irretrievable disaster for the Byzantines.
With its territory and resources shrinking,
Byzantium was never again able
to fully quell internal disorders
or to exercise independence from outside powers.
The state became so impoverished that in 1369
Emperor John V was arrested for debt in Venice as
he tried to obtain financial help from the West.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.
The weakened Constantinople could not defend itself from the
rising new power in the region – the Ottoman Turks – who,
by the 1300s – had completely encircled the old Eastern capital.
“Woe be to thee, O Constantinople,
seated on seven hills,
thou shall not continue a thousand years.”
330 – Constantine makes Byzantium
his new capital, Constantinople
527 – Justinian becomes ruler
of the eastern empire
674 – Arab armies attack
Constantinople
820 – Vikings begin explorations and
terrorize Europe
860 – Russians invade Constantinople
for the first of three times.
1054 – Christianity splits into the
Roman Catholic Church in the West
and the Orthodox Church in the East.
6. What factors enabled the city to survive
for so many years before finally falling?
Its walls, naval fleet, and
its strategic location.
1204 – Crusading Christians from Europe
loot and pillage Constantinople.
1453 – Constantinople falls to
the Ottoman Turks.
PP Design of T. Loessin; Akins H.S.