Transcript Unit 2 Lesson 3

The Byzantine Empire-The Eastern half of the
Roman Empire
• As the Roman Empire continued to grow in size, it
became increasingly more difficult to control.
•
In 284 AD Emperor Diocletian (284-305) came to the
throne after a century of disorganization, internal
dissent, economic collapse, and foreign invasions.
• It wasn’t long after he took control that in 285 AD he
decided that the Empire was too large to be
administered by a single ruler, so he divided it into two
halves.
• The Empires would be ruled by Co-Emperors and the
western half would be centered in Rome, while the
eastern half would be ruled from the city of
Byzantium.
The dividing line was chosen because most territories to the west of the
line spoke Latin and followed traditional Roman culture, while the
territories to the east spoke Greek and maintained less traditional
Roman ways.
The location of Byzantium on the water between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea made it a
powerful trading force in the east.
• When the western area was overrun
by German tribes, the Empire was
officially divided in 395 AD and as a
result, power shifted to the east
and the Byzantine side remained
strong for a few hundred years
more.
• The empire benefited from the high
level of civilization in the former
Hellenistic world and from the
region’s prosperous trade.
• In the 4th c. Emperor Constantine
renamed the city of Byzantium to
Constantinople
•Constantinople –Capital of the Byzantine Empire
Constantinople –Capital of the Byzantine Empire
• Constantinople- “The Second Rome”
• Key trading route linking Europe, Africa and Asia
– Buffer between Western Europe and Asia
·Constantinople
The Age of Justinian 527-565
• In 527, the Byzantine
emperor Justinian aimed
at regaining control of
Italy and restoring the
old Roman Empire once
again.
• Through war and conquest
by about 550 AD,
Justinian once again ruled
over almost all of the
territory of the old
Roman Empire.
The Empress Theodora
Theodora was the
wife of Justinian I
who was crowned
Emperor of the
Byzantine Empire in
527 AD. As his wife,
she ruled by his side,
as his partner, and
her intelligence
helped to advance
the Empire.
They ruled
unofficially as joint
monarchs with
Justinian allowing
Theodora to share
his throne and take
active part in
decision making.
The Empress Theodora
•
Perhaps the most significant event during Empress Theodora's
rule was the Nika revolt in which she proved herself a worthy and
able leader.
•
During this event, two rival political groups started a riot at
the Hippodrome. They set many public buildings on fire and
proclaimed a new emperor.
•
Justinian and his officials, unable to control the crowd
prepared to flee, but Theodora spoke up and gave a moving speech
about the greater significance of the life of someone who died as a
ruler, over that of someone who lived but was nothing.
•
Her determined speech convinced Justinian and his officials
and they attacked the Hippodrome, killing over 30,000 rebels and
emerging victorious.
The Empress Theodora
Throughout the rest of her life, Theodora and Justinian
transformed the city of Constantinople, building it into a city
that for many centuries was known as one of the most wonderful
cities in the world.
They built aqueducts, bridges, and more than 25 churches, the
most significant of these being the Hagia Sophia - 'Church of
Holy Wisdom'.
Justinian’s Achievements
•Hagia Sophia – Great
domed church
constructed during
the reign of Justinian
•The Hippodrome- stadium
used for horse and chariot
racing
•Justinian’s Code – Justinian’s codification of Roman law;
made Roman law a the basis for political and economic
life
Culture of the Byzantine Empire
The most
impressive work
of Byzantine
architecture is
the Hagia
Sophia, which
was originally a
Christian church
in the year 360
Culture of the Byzantine Empire
Later, the Hagia Sophia (which means “Holy
Wisdom” in Greek) became a mosque and
today is a museum in present-day Turkey
Importance of the Byzantine Empire
• Preserved classic works of
ancient Greece & Western
Rome (learning) including
Christianity
• Created Orthodox
Christian religion
• Justinian’s code of laws
The Byzantine End
•The long decline
began in 11th c.
•Muslim Turkish
invaders seized
almost all of the
empire’s Asian
territory, removing
the most important
sources of taxes and
food
•In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople
•Muslims eventually took Constantinople and renamed it
Istanbul. This marked the rise of the Ottoman Empire.