THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE THE EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE A
THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE THE EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
A. Remember from the previous lesson that the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western empire in A. D. 395 B. Recall also that by A. D. 550, the western empire ceased to exist. I. THE NEW ROME C. Thus, the Roman Empire lived on, without Rome as part of it. This eastern empire would eventually be called The Byzantine Empire (*remember, the city that served as its capital used to be called Byzantium until its name was changed to Constantinople) D. Geographically, Constantinople was on a peninsula between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, so it was at the crossroads of trade between Europe and Asia. E. Constantinople was an extremely wealthy city as a result (the richest in all the empire)
II. CULTURAL FACTORS A. Government buildings in Constantinople were built in the Roman style. B. And even though they were closer to Greece geographically, the emperors in Constantinople spoke Latin, and their laws and customs were very much “Roman. ” C. However, eventually, Greek influence became widespread—partly for obvious reasons of geographic proximity—but also because this area used to be Greek anyhow before the Roman conquest, so most of the natives spoke Greek. D. The Byzantine Empire was at its height in approximately the AD 500 s, under the rule of Emperor Justinian (A. D. 527 -565). E. The empire also included territory in Egypt and the Arabian border. Some of these people also lived in Constantinople, and their cultural influence was also felt. F. Byzantine culture and government became a mix of Roman and Greek traditions.
III. EMPEROR JUSTINIAN A. His legal reforms were part of his legacy. Knowing that legal statutes were disorganized and confusing, he had a group of legal scholars simplify the laws into language that both officials and the people could understand. These sets of law are called the Justinian Code. B. The Justinian Code has served as a foundation for the legal systems of almost every country in the Western world. C. Many of his ideas came from his intelligent wife, Theodora. Justinian make many wise decisions, thanks to her input. For example, she suggested that he and his troops stay and fight during a tax revolt; he listened to her, and as a result he was able to regain control of that territory. She also helped women in the empire gain many important rights such as the right to ow land to work for money if her husband passed away. D. He also contributed to beautiful structures, such as the church called Hagia Sophia (which you can still visit today, if you go to Istanbul, Turkey) E. Education was also very important to Justinian
IV. MILITARY VICTORIES A. Justinian also led the Byzantine Empire during a time of great military might. He believed he could restore the glory of the Roman Empire and reunite the Roman people. B. He ordered a general named Belisarius to improve the army. One of the improvements was major unlike most armies in ancient Europe, the Byzantine army came to rely mostly on soldiers who were on horseback, CAVALRY instead of infantry (which is foot soldiers). C. The cavalry wore armor and carried bows and spears. D. This improved army made it possible to reconquer territories that had once been part of the Roman Empire, including parts of Italy, Spain, and northern Africa. E. They were also able to protect the eastern frontiers of the empire by defeating the Persians. F. BUT…it all came to a screeching halt when a plague swept through the empire. This disease, known as “Justinian’s Plague, ” killed millions of people, including most of Justinian’s army. The weakened army could not defend the newly-conquered territories. G. Most of the newly-acquired lands were lost after Justinian’s death.
QUESTIONS 1. The Eastern part of the Roman Empire became the _______ Empire. 2. Culturally, this empire was most influenced by _______ and _______ traditions. 3. The city of Byzantium was renamed ________, and it was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. 4. Byzantium was located on a _______, which meant it was easier to defend as it was surrounded by water on all sides except one. 5. The two seas that border Byzantium are the ____Sea and the _____ Sea. 6. Byzantium was positioned between the trade routes of _______ and ____. 7. The ____ church, the name of which means “holy wisdom, ” was commissioned by Justinian, and still exists. 8. The goal of the Justinian Code was to make laws more organized and ____ to understand. 9. Justinian took much advise from his ____, who was named ______. 10. The outbreak a of a contagious disease that killed millions, called Justinian’s _____, brought an end to his territorial expansions 11. Explain TWO ways in which a cavalry is a better type of army than an infantry.
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