Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire is the
continuation of the eastern
Roman Empire after the fall in
476.
The Byzantine Empire honored
its Greek past and became
more Greek in its traditions and
cultures.
The Byzantine Empire lasted
from 330 to 1453. The Empire
reached a high point in the
500s.
The Byzantine Empire ended
when the Ottoman Turks
conquered the empire in 1453.
The capitol of the Byzantine
Empire was Constantinople.
Constantinople was named
after the Roman emperor
Constantine.
Constantinople was a very
wealthy trading center due to
its location at the crossroads of
trade routes between Europe
and Asia.
Constantinople’s location on
the waterways between the
Black Sea and Aegean Sea also
contributed to its success as a
trading center.
Constantinople
Emperor Justinian’s Legacy
Under Justinian’s rule, much of the western Roman territory
was regained. However, it was lost again over time after
Justinian died.
Justinian’s wife, Empress Theodora, did much for women’s
rights – for the first time a Byantine wife could own land.
Justinian’s legacy includes the construction
of the Hagia Sophia, a church that was an
engineering marvel of the time.
Justinian also simplified Roman laws into
an organized system known as the Justinian
Code. Many countries use this code as a
base for their modern legal systems.
The Great Church Schism (Split)
Roman Catholic Church
- Did not believe in use of icons
- Believed the pope was the head
of ALL Christian churches
- Believed pope could pick an
emperor
1054 – excommunicated each
other; church split into two
separate churches: Roman
Catholic & Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
- Believed icons helped explain
Christianity
- Believed that Byzantine bishops
and other church leaders were
equal to the pope
- Believed the leader of the
Byzantines was the only true
emperor