Transcript Byzantine Empire and Beginnings of the Medieval Period

Byzantine Empire and Beginnings
of the Medieval Period
Brief History
•4th C. CE Roman
Empire divided into
halves (Diocletian)
•Moved capital to
Constantinople
(Constantine)
•W. Roman Empire fell
to Barbarians, Eastern
half survived for
another 1000 yearsuntil 1453 (fell to
Ottoman Turks)
•Mostly Middle Eastern
and Greek culture
Justinian (527-565)
•Byzantine Empire reached
greatest extent
•Tried to restore former
Roman Empire
•Set up secondary capital at
Ravenna, Italy
•Conquered N. Africa, S.
Spain, Italy
•Married to Theodora
•“actress” and dancer
•Pushed for women’s rights
•Made Justinian put down the
Nike Rebellion
San Vitale
More Justinian
•Justinian’s Code
•Codified the old Twelve
Tables
•Religious and Secular
ruler
•Made Greek official
language
•Constructed public
works:
•Hagia Sophia
•Rebuilt Constantinople
Byzantine Culture
•Trade
•Between Asia and Europe
•Smuggled silk worms out of China
•Thriving silk trade
•Glassware, linen, jewelry, gold
•Political, cultural, and intellectual center
•Greek Fire: weapon used against ships
Great Schism #1
• Rome and Constantinople fought over religious
power
• Pope (in Rome) claimed supremacy over everyone
• Patriarch in Constantinople claimed authority over
the east
• Also split over:
• Language: Latin/Greek
• Icons: RC=no/ GO=yes
• 1054 they split
• Greek Orthodox
• Controlled by Byzantine Emperor
• Less significant in politics than RC
• Eventually spreads to Russia