The Survival of the Eastern Empire
Power Shifts to the East
• The shift of Roman power to the East began long before the
collapse of the Westen Empire.
• Diocletion restored order in the late 200s.
• He ruled from Asia Minor, in the eastern part of the empire.
• After his death the power struggles resumed.
The Rise of Constantine
• Constantine was a Roman leader who fought for
several rivals for control of the empire.
• Constantine began life as a pagan.
• Christians believe in only one God.
• After victory in 324 Constantine became sole ruler of
the empire.
• Constantine had abandoned his pagan beliefs and
become a Christian
• He supported the growth of the Church.
• He moved the capital of his government eastward to
the site of an old Greek city called Byzantium.
The Rise of Constantine (continued)
• Constantine named the new capitol Constantinople.
• The people of Constantinople called themselves Romans living in
the Roman Empire.
• The term Byzantine was created much later by historians to
describe the later Eastern Roman Empire.
The New Capitol
• Constantine chose an excellent location for
his capitol.
• Waterways, caravan tracks, and paved
Roman roads made Constantinople a
crossroads for trade.
• The trade was between Asia and Europe.
• Thick walls and a moat protected the city
from attacks by land.
• From Constantinople, Roman armies could
quickly travel to the empire’s eastern
frontiers.
The New Capitol (continued)
• Constantinople had good harbors, and a good location making it an
ideal trading center.
• The trade made Constantinople rich.
• Constantine used the money to build palaces, government
buildings, marketplaces, and a stadium for chariot races.
• After his death the Roman Empire was divided into an Eastern and
a Western empire.
• Western Empire fell in 476.
• The Eastern, or Byzantine, Empire survived.
Justinian & Theodora
• The first great Byzantine emperor was Justinian.
• He ruled for 40 years, from 527 to 565.
• Justinian and his wife Theodora, were a colorful
and unusual royal couple.
• Justinian was born to a family of peasants.
• Theodora’s father was a bear trainer in the
circus.
• They both were talented, intelligent, and self
confident.
Justinian’s Conquest
• Justinian dreamed of restoring Rome’s lost
empire.
• He tried for more than thirty years.
• During his reign the empire reached its
greatest size.
• The many wars left the empire with
severe money problems.
• Attackers from outside would gradually
chip away most of the territory.
Justinian’s Legacy
• Justinian did no succeed in restoring the Roman Empire.
• He had many other accomplishments.
• His greatest was Justinian’s Code.
• A urban revolt challenged Justinian’s power.
• Ruthlessly crushing this revolt helping him gain absolute
power.
• The revolt destroyed much of the city.
• The greatest of the new buildings was a church named the
Hagia Sophia, or Holy Wisdom. Which still stands today.