Part I: Byzantium
 Christianity had provided common ground for postclassical societies in
western Eurasia
 After Rome’s collapse Christendom was deeply divided: Byzantine
Empire and Western Europe
 Byzantines continued Roman Imperial traditions
 Western Europe attempted to hang on to Classical world
 Roman imperial order disintegrated in the West
 Western Europe followed Roman Catholic church
 Catholic church established independence from political
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authorities
Eastern Christianity became known as Eastern Orthodox
Christianity (Byzantines)
 Eastern Orthodox Church was under authority of
Byzantine emperor
Western Europe was much more rural than Byzantium
Western Europe had a 600 year period of slow growth
 Civilization began emerging at an increasing pace after
1000 c.e.
In 500 c.e., only about one-third of all Christians lived in
Europe
 Many distinct forms of Christianity in other Afro-Eurasian
regions
 Byzantine empire has no clear starting point
 Continuation of the Roman Empire
 Constantinople founded in 330c.e. by Emperor Constantine
 Some scholars use this date as beginning
 Formal division of Roman Empire into eastern and western halves
in late fourth century c.e.
 W. empire collapsed in 5th century; E. half survived
another 1,000 years
 Eastern empire contained ancient civilizations: Egypt,
Greece, Syria, and Anatolia
 Wealthier and more
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urbanized
Capital (Constantinople)
was easier to defend
Shorter frontier
Access to the Black Sea gave
command of E.
Mediterranean
Stronger army, navy, and
merchant marine
Continuation of Roman
infrastructure and
traditions
 Empire was much smaller than Roman Empire
 Byzantine Emperor Justinian attempted to reconquer western
territory in 6th century, but failed
 Elaborate bureaucracy supported Emperor
 Government bureaucrats trained in Hellenistic (Greek) studies
in secular schools
 Social mobility!
 Generals had civil authority in the provinces
 raised armies from peasants
 Political authority tightly centralized in Constantinople
 Emperor ruled as God’s representative on earth
 Awesome grandeur of court (based on ancient Persian style)
 Mostly concerned with tax collection and keeping order
 Territory began to shrink after 1085
 Muslim Turks had taken most Asian regions by late
11th century
 Independent kingdoms began forming in Balkans
 In 1260 army of Western European crusaders sacked
Constantinople
 Byzantines appealed to Roman Catholic Church for help
against Muslim attacks
 In 1453 Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople,
ended empire
 Church was closely tied to the state: caesaropapism (emperor as
pope)
 Byzantine emperor was head of both the state and the Church
 Emperor appointed the patriarch (head of Orthodox church)
 Emperor sometimes made decisions on religious issues
 Emperor could call church councils
 Orthodox Christianity deeply influenced all of Byzantine life
 Legitimated imperial rule
 Provided cultural identity
 Religious icons/images/buildings everywhere in Byzantine
society
 Latin Christianity (Western) was centered on the Pope and Rome
 Eastern Orthodox did not recognize Papal authority
 Rise of Islam made Constantinople and Rome the sole centers of
Christendom
 No more Jersualem
 Numerous cultural differences (language, philosophy, belief,
church practices) caused growing divide
 Theological diffs inc.: priests shaving, celibacy, raised bread,
etc.
 Byzantines =Greek, Roman Catholicism = latin
 Western Europe saw Byzantines as crumbling power
 Byzantines saw Western Europe as barbarians
 Schism occured in 1054, with mutual excommunication
 Ex-communication = cut off from God
 Crusades (from 1095 on) worsened the situation
 During 4th Crusade, Westerners sacked Constantinople (1204)
 Ruled Byzantium for next 50 years
 Geographic position was extremely important
 Byzantium had a foot in both Europe and Asia
 Continued long Roman fight with Persian Empire (Sassanids)
 Conflict weakened both states, left them open to Islamic
conquests
 Persia was conquered by Islam; Byzantium lost territory
 Byzantium was a central player in long-distance Eurasian
trade
 Byzantine gold coins (bezants) were major
Mediterranean/Silk Road currency for over 500 years
 Byzantine crafts (jewelry, textiles, purple dyes, silk) were in
high demand
 Byzantine gov’t maintained monopoly on certain key goods (very
profitable)
 Important cultural influence on surrounding regions
 Transmitted ancient Greek learning to Islamic world and
West
 Transmitted Orthodox Christianity to Balkans and Russia
 Byzantine missionaries Cyril and Methodius created a written language to
help transmit Christianity in Russia and Balkan region
 Invented the dome- heavily used in W. Europe after
renaissance
 Great example is Hagia Sophia – church ordered built by Emperor
Justinian
 Maintained Roman laws under the title Body of Civil Law
 Became basis for W. Europe civil law