Transcript Byzantine Empire - Mr. Jones @ Overton

Introduction to the Byzantine
Empire
Definition
Byzantine: this term is a modern invention.
The Byzantines called themselves either
‘Romans’ or ‘Greeks’. It was used for the
medieval Greek-speaking, Christian empire
that dominated the eastern Mediterranean.
In antiquity, because of its strategic location,
it was an important center for the transport
of corn to Attica.
Just do it!
Look at the following map and answer
this question.
What are the advantages of building a
major city here?
What are the advantages of building a major city here?
MAP
Advantages
Peninsula
Provided natural safe harbors for ships
both merchant and military ships
Provided natural defense
water on three sides. (the Black and
Aegean Seas)
MAP
Advantages
Trade
Easy access to the Mediterranean Sea
Located at an important land route that
linked Europe and Asia (Silk Road).
The founding of Constantinople
and the Byzantine Empire
Since the Rule of Diocletian (in the late 200s
A.D.) The Roman Empire was divided in two.
Western and Eastern Empires.
The Western half was being weakened by
constant attacking Germanic invaders.
In 330 A.D. Emperor Constantine decided to
relocate the capital.
He chose to locate the capital at the
Greek city of Byzantium, later renamed
Constantinople. (this was the area we
looked at on the map)
Constantine molded the new capital
after Rome.
Often referred to as “new Rome”
THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Constantinople
City was heavily fortified
Water on three side plus a wall was built to
protect the fourth side.
Multi-ethnic city
Greeks, Persians, Italians, Turks, Slavs,
Armenians, and Jews lived in the city
The citizens spoke Greek, but Latin was
the official language.
Constantinople
During Constantine's rule over 600,000
people lived in the city.
Constantine convinced many wealthy
Romans to move to the city by offering
to build them palaces.
In 410 A.D. Rome fell to the Germanic
invaders.
However, the city of Constantinople and
the eastern empire remained.
This is when the Byzantine Empire
started.
FROM ROMAN EMPIRE TO
BYZANTINE EMPIRE
The Byzantine emperors faced different challenges
Conflict with Sasanid dynasty (226-641 C.E.) in Persia
Invasions of migratory peoples from the north and east
The early Byzantine State
Tightly centralized rule of a highly exalted emperor
Caesaropapism: Emperor is both caesar and pope
The state and church are separate
Emperor appoints patriarchs, influence over pope
Emperors also stood above the law
Dress and court etiquette designed to enhance rulers' status
Adopted Oriental style monarchy with all the symbols
The Age of Justinian (527-75)
536: Reconquest of
Rome and much of Italy
took many years.
North Africa and the
Spanish coast were
easily conquered.
Victories over Sassanid
Persia in the east
consolidate the borders
JUSTINIAN AND THEODORA
From 476 to late 6th Century CE
Empire was weak in Europe
Dealt with invasions
Justinian and Theodora
Couple came from obscure origins
Seized power through bureaucracy
Theodora was a strong advisor
Justinian Code
Issued Corpus iuris civilis (The Body of the Civil Law)
The code influenced civil law codes of western Europe
Threats from Sasanids and Slavic peoples
Persians were a constant threat
Hagia Sophia, Church of the Holy Wisdom, 6th c.
BYZANTINE EMPIRE c. 600 CE
Justinian’s legacy
Hagia Sophia remained the seat of Eastern
Christianity until the Fall of Constantinople.
552: Byzantine monks sneak silkworms and
mulbery out of China.
Justinian orders the codification of Roman law
(Corpus Iuris Civilis).
He was heavy-handed towards heresies
In 529 he closed the philosophical school of
Athens, thus destroying the last stronghold of
paganism.
The Struggle with the Persians
Justinian and his
successors were locked
into a titanic struggle
with an old enemy and
won.
627: Heraclios crushes
the Persians at Nineveh.
However, both
Byzantines and Persians
were exhausted and
vulnerable to the Arabs
and Islam.
Heraclius 610-641
Heraclius seized the throne
from unpopopular Phocas
He defeated Chosroes and the
Persians
Recovered many Byzantine
territories
Hellenized the empire
Took the title basileus
BYZANTIUM & WESTERN EUROPE
Tensions between Greeks and Latins
Ecclesiastical tensions
Constantinople
Greek was religious language
Caesaropapist emperors
Rome
Latin was chief language
Autonomy from imperial authorities
Rivalry for conversion of Slavs
Political grievances
Franks & Germans claimed imperial authority
Charlemagne received imperial crown in 800
Otto of Saxony claimed himself an emperor in 962
Byzantines felt they were only legitimate
emperor
BYZANTINE CHURCH
Church and state
Church's close relationship with the imperial government
Constantine actively participated in religious debate
Under emperors, church was department of state
Justinian organizes church under five Patriarchs (Pentarchy)
Iconoclasm
Controversy over use of icons in religious services
Old Testament prohibition on false images
Islamic influences from Arabian Peninsula
Iconoclasts wanted to purge all churches of icons
Ban on Icons inaugurated by Emperor Leo III in 726 C.E.
Unpopular policy sparked protests, riots throughout the
empire
Opposed by Western Christians & Roman Patriarch (ie: the
Pope)
The iconoclasts abandoned their effort in 843 C.E.
Much protest and many excommunications from Rome
Emperors worried about unrest and instability
ICONS
The word of God in
art used for prayer:
Iconographers
read Bible passage,
paint as a
prayer. Icons
follow certain
styles using specific
colors, images.
Constantinople & Rome
Iconoclastic movement in the east criticized by the west
Emperors vs. Roman Patriarch
Who is head of the church? Pope or Emperor?
Ritual and doctrinal differences
Leavened vs. unleavened bread
Marriage of priests
Liturgy in the vernacular
The Great Schism
Power struggle led to mutual excommunication, 1054
Rivalry between Patriarch of Rome & Constantinople
Papal ambassador excommunicated patriarch, who
then excommunicates the Pope.
Origins of Eastern Orthodox & Roman Catholic churches
Continuation of rivalry after 1054 actions made split
permanent
URBAN LIFE
Urban Life
The capital was the heart of the empire
Housing in Constantinople
Enormous palaces owned by aristocrats
Less splendid dwellings owned by less
privileged classes
Attractions of Constantinople
City of baths, taverns, restaurants, theaters,
Hippodrome
The most popular game - chariot races
BYZANTINE ECONOMY
An Agricultural Economy
The peasantry
The backbone of the Byzantine army and economy
Landless peasants worked as share-croppers
Since 11th century, free peasants declined
Consequences of the peasantry's decline
Landowners shifted taxes to peasants
Landowners raised forces for estates
Pool of military recruits for empire shrank
Industry and Trade
Manufacturing enterprises
Byzantine craftsmen had high reputation in various industries
High-quality silk became important industry; imperial
monopoly
Trade
Constantinople, important for Eurasian, Mediterranean trade
Solidus was the standard currency of the Mediterranean basin
Byzantium drew enormous wealth from foreign trade
Banks and partnerships supported commercial economy
DOMESTIC PROBLEMS AND
FOREIGN CHALLENGES
Social problems
Generals, local aristocrats allied, a challenge to imperial power
Free peasants were declining in number and prosperity
Imperial government had fewer recruits, many fiscal problems
Challenges from the east
Muslim Seljuk Turks invaded Anatolia, defeat Byzantines, 1071
Also took control of Abbasid Caliphate, Holy places in Jerusalem
The loss of Anatolia sealed the fate of the Byzantine empire
Challenges from the west
Norman army expelled Byzantine authorities in southern Italy
Normans, western Europeans mounted a series of crusades
The fourth crusade sacked Constantinople
Byzantine forces recaptured the capital in 1261
Byzantines never recovered
Turks gradually push Byzantines out of Asia and move
into Europe!
THREAT OF ISLAM
The emergence of the Islamic state
Arab peoples conquered Sasanids, part of Byzantium
Prolonged sieges of Constantinople by Islamic armies
Byzantine survived partly because of "Greek fire"
Imperial organization
Government run by trained bureaucracy, professional army
The theme system strengthened Byzantine society
Under rule of general, who ran army, civil bureaucracy
Responsible for protecting peasants
Aristocrats limited by army, emperor, bureaucracy
THE THREAT OF ISLAM
MAP OF THE EMPIRE
MAP OF BYZANTINE PROBLEMS
The Fall of Constantinople to the Crusaders , 1204
Frankish Constantinople (1204-1261)
The sack of Constantinople:
a great cultural calamity.
Byzantine states in
provinces (Nicaea,
Trebizond, Epirus)
The Latin empire of
Constantinople was
doomed, cut off from the
West, with a determined
Byzantine kingdom next to
it, and a clergy very hostile
to the Catholic primate.
The Latin Empire of Constantinople
The Palaiologean Period
1261: Michael VIII
Palaiologos recaptures
Constantinople, defeats
the Latins and restores
Byzantine form.
The Empire he
reconstituted would be
squeezed between
enemies from the west
and the relentless
assaults of the Turks in
the east
The Palaiologean Renaissance
Although politically the reign of Byzantium’s
last and longest lasting dynasty was bleak,
the arts and letters flourished.
An increasingly more Hellenized state
Some of the Palaiologean Emperors were able
(e.g. Michael VIII, Manuel II)
However, the weakened state did not have
the manpower, energy, or resources to stop
the the relentless march of the Ottoman
Turks.
The old empire fell after a long struggle.
The Fall of Constantinople
The world turned its
eyes on a depopulated
Constantinople in the
spring of 1453.
A shadow of its former
glory the imperial city
fell after months of
siege.
Constantine XI, the last
emperor became the
subject of legends.
TWIN LEGACIES
Byzantine education
State-organized school system,
Schools trained government bureaucrats
Private education for aristocratic families
Basic literacy was widespread even among lower classes
Citizens constantly engaged in intellectual disputes
Scholarship
Emphasis on humanities, classics
Arts, architecture important for state, church
Natural science generally ignored
Educated considered heirs of classical Greece
Christianity (Orthodox Church) was other
legacy
The religious art of Byzantium
Intellectual, idealistic,
schematic, with
restrained colors and
reserved form.
Realism is rare and
undesirable
The objective is the
spiritual elevation of the
believer