The Byzantine Empire The City of Constantinople n

The Byzantine Empire

The City of Constantinople n n n Modeled after the city of Rome Forum (marketplace) Imperial palaces Theaters Baths Location along key trade routes Therefore, how would you describe this city? Are any other cities like this in the Empire? On the continent of Europe? In the world c. 600 s – 700 s CE?

The Changes Over Time c. 600 -1200 n n n 476 – 565 – The Byzantine gov’t under the rule Justinian maintained high degree of centralization. Justinian reconquered parts of North Africa, Italy, Southern Spain Use of bureaucracy and spies facilitated Emperor’s autocratic power Government has theocratic power- the Patriarch (leader) of the Church was appointed by the Emperor Government monopoly of silk contributed to v. strong economy Declining relations with the Latin church and princes of Western Europe leading up to an official split (schism) between the Latin and Orthodox Churches in 1054 As time passed, the empire is commercially and politically weakened

Justinian’s Code: By living on, the Byzantine Empire was able to preserve Roman Law…

And Roman cultural elements…the Hippodrome

How does the following mosaic emphasize the majesty and power of Theodora?

Hagia Sophia Extended Roman knowledge of engineering in a syncretic forms because they blended Greek, Roman and Persian elements

Cultural Achievements n Religious Art Icons-were holy images of Jesus, Virgin Mary, or saints of the Orthodox Christian Church that were suppose to create a sense that the religious figure was actually present n Mosaics-pictures or designs formed by inlaid pieces of stone or other materials The missionary work of Cyril and Methodius spread their Orthodox Christian faith and the Cyrillic alphabet into Eastern Europe causing linguistic and religious competition between East and West n

Interior of Byzantine Church- mosaics of ICONS

How did the Eastern Orthodox Church differ from the Roman Catholic Church? Roman Catholic Church WEST n. Priests cannot marry n. Prayed in Latin n. Chief holiday was Christmas n. Pope was head who appointed officials Orthodox Church EAST n. Priests can marry n. Prayed in Greek n. Chief holiday was Easter n. Emperor was head who appointed Patriarch The Great Schism (permanent split) occurred in 1054 over the use of ICONS in church and prayer

Decline and Fall n n n 1071 – Battle of Manzikert: Byzantine v. Seljurk Turks…who wins? Leads to gradual ‘turkification’ of Asia Minor 1071 - Normans attack and seize Sicily and Southern Italy 1095 – Emperor Alexius Comnenus calls on the Latin Pope Urban II to aid in defending Jerusalem (the Crusades) 1204 – Western Crusaders attack Constantinople in 4 th Crusade How’s the empire doing?

By 1453, Ottoman Turks (Islamic) conquer the Byzantine Empire by sieging Constantinople