Transcript Justinian and Theodora Justinian Code

 Split the Roman Empire
 Knew it was way to large
for one person to run.
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300 A.D. The Roman Empire was divided
 Western Half (Rome was the capital)
 Eastern Half known as the Byzantine
Empire (Constantinople was the capital)
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 Between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
 Linked Europe to Asia
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 In 527 A.D. Justinian I began to plan ways
to make the Byzantine Empire as great as
the Roman Empire had been in the past.
 With a strong army, he conquered:
 Territory that Rome had lost
 Alexandria in Egypt
 Carthage in northern Africa
 Athens in Greece
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 Justinian reviewed Roman Law (Twelve
Tables) and created a simpler legal code.
 It was called the Justinian Code
 Many of the laws reflect the point of view
of his wife, Theodora.
 Theodora encouraged her husband to
make laws that were fairer to women.
 Theodora assisted her husband in
choosing government leaders.
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 Based on the map of the Byzantine
Empire, why was Constantinople a center
of trade?
 Which regions and continents were
connected by Constantinople?
 New industries – silk. Justinian ordered
silkworm eggs smuggled from China,
along with mulberry trees.
 This ended the monopoly China held on
the world’s silk trade.
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 In the Byzantine Empire, Orthodox Christians
had strict beliefs. They thought icons (pictures
of Christ) were forbidden in the Ten
Commandments.
 In Western Europe, few people could read or
write, so church leaders believed the use of
icons could teach about Christianity.
 1054: Christianity divided (the Great Schism)
 Byzantine: Eastern Greek Orthodox Church
 Western Europe: Roman Catholic Church
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 Eastern Greek Orthodox
Church
 Based in Constantinople
 Official language – Greek
 Church led by a Patriarch
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referred to as a Bishop
Bishops couldn’t marry.
Priests could marry.
Scriptures were the final
authority on all matters.
Emperor or political ruler
was above the Bishop.
Rejected the use of icons.
 Roman Catholic Church
 Based in Rome
 Official language – Latin
 Church led by a Pope
referred to as Father.
 Church leaders could not
marry.
 Only Pope and Bishops
could interpret the
scriptures.
 The Pope was the Supreme
head of Church - above any
political ruler.
 Religious icons accepted.
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