WHI: SOL 7a, b
Byzantine Empire
Location of Constantinople
• Protection of the eastern frontier
• Distance from Germanic invasions in the
western empire
• Crossroads of trade
• Easily fortified site on a peninsula bordered by
natural harbors
Role of Constantinople
• Seat of the Byzantine Empire until Ottoman
conquest
• Preserved classical Greco-Roman culture
• Center of trade
On your map:
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Use textbook pg. 286
Mediterranean Sea
Sea of Marmara
Aegean Sea
Black Sea
Caspian Sea
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Africa
Asia
Europe
Constantinople (city)
Rome (city)
Asia Minor
Greece
Balkan Peninsula
On your white board:
• If you traveled from Rome to Constantinople,
in what cardinal direction would you travel?
• What body of water separates Constantinople
from Asia?
• What seas are connected by the Hellespont
(Dardanelles)?
• What ruler was responsible for the expansion
of the Byzantine Empire?
Byzantine Emperor Justinian
• Ruled from 527 a.d. to 565 a.d.
• Codification of Roman law (had an impact on
modern European legal codes)
– Justinian’s Law
• Reconquered former Roman territories (General
Belisarius)
• Expansion of trade
• Rebuilt Constantinople after riots and a fire
• Co-ruled with his wife Theodora
• Strong military tactics (Greek fire)
Contributions to Law
• Justinian best known for his codification of
Greek and Roman laws – “Justinian Code”
• Six years dedicated to simplifying 1600 books
and tens of thousands of Greek and Roman
laws into just four sections and 4,000 laws.
Justinians Military Conquests
• Justinian dreamed of reuniting the former
territory of the Roman Empire
• Was almost constantly at war with
neighboring civilizations and smaller tribes to
overtake old Roman land
• With new tactics and weapons (like Greek
Fire) the Byzantine territory grew to Spain,
Africa and Italy
The Lasting Legacy of Justinian
• Married an actress (in a scandal
that involved his rewriting of the
marriage laws) named Theodora
shortly before becoming
Emperor
• Theodora was bright and
influential in her husbands rule
– by encouraging him, offering
him advice and even helping to
subdue dissent amongst the
citizens
Laws about
Justinian Code
American Laws
Women’s
Rights
All women can own property,
make contracts and will, and
bring a lawsuit.
All women can own property,
make contracts and wills, bring a
lawsuit - the same rights as men.
Robbery
Robbery was not a crime. The
victim could sue the robber for up
to four times the values of the
stolen property.
Robbery is a crime and is punishable
by a fine and/ or a prison sentence.
Failure to
pay debts
People owed something had to
sue the person owing them to
gain debt back.
People owed something had to sue
the person owing them to gain debt
back.
Murder
Murder was punished by
banishment
Murder is punished by a prison
sentence or death.
Inheritance
Women could not inherit property
from their husbands unless it was
provided in a will. Children
received equal amounts of the
father’s estate.
Standard law allows wives and
children to divide an estate. Other
directions can be provided for in a
will.
On your map:
Shade in the Byzantine Empire as it was at
different points in history:
• Byzantine Empire in 565 A.D. (C.E.) (under
Justinian)
• Byzantine Empire in 1000 A.D. (C.E.)