Byzantine World 330 1400 Byzantine World Late Roman

Byzantine World 330 -1400

Byzantine World • Late Roman Empire • Core of B. E. was Greek • Cosmopolitan Empire Blending – Armenians-Greek – Syrians Persian – Egyptians-Roman

Hagia Sophia

Remnants of Rome • Justinian took the throne of Eastern Empire – Sought to recreate the greatness of Rome – Take back the western portions • Rulers exercised absolute power: Church and State

Justinian Code • Code: collection of • Justinian Code was 5, 000 Roman laws passed in one form or another to • Digest: quotes and Western Europe summaries from and provided the Rome’s greatest legal basis for legal thinkers continental states • Institutes: textbook during the Middle that gave Ages instruction on how to use laws

Constantinople • Public building program: rebuilt fortifications, churches (Hagia Sophia), enlarged the palace, public baths, aqueducts, schools, and hospitals • Preservation of Greco Roman Culture • Merchants from Asia, African, and Europe • Hippodrome

Fall of the Empire • Plague of Justinian: bubonic plague – Probably imported from India lasted until 700 – 542: 10, 000 people dying a day • Attacks from all directions – Lombards, Slavs, Bulgars, Sassinid Persians, Arabs, and Russians – Used bribes, diplomacy, and political marriages rather than fight • Instability – Street riots, religious quarrels, palace intrigues, and

Religion Divides • Split empire=split religion • Conflict between Eastern Bishops and Emperor and Western Pope over Icons: religious images • Pope and Patriarch excommunicated each other • West and East competed for converts

Roman Catholic: Latin, pope has authority overall bishops, emperors, kings, priests may not marry, Divorce not permitted, no use of Icons Similarities: Based on the gospel of Jesus and the Bible. They use sacraments like baptism, religious leaders are priests and bishops, actively seek converts. Eastern Orthodox: Greek or local languages, patriarch and other bishops head the church as a group, emperor