New Political SceneryUnit 2: The Post-Classical Age, 600-

1450Part I – End of the Old, Beginning of the New

A Shift in PowerNew nations rose after the fall of old empires

Byzantine in Eastern Europe

Sassinaid in Persia

Jin in China

The Byzantine Commonwealth

Theme SystemEach province (theme) was under the

control of a general responsible for both military defense & civil

administration.

Generals recruited armies from free peasants land in exchange for military service

Based on land and service both very Middle Age concepts almost like feudalism and yet maintained some concepts of paterfamilias

Superpower of the Dark AgesProtected location on Bosporus Straits

Greek fire & heavy cavalry (the cataphracts)

the use of subsidies to play its enemies against one another

Caesaropapism - domination of imperial rule over Christianity in the Byzantine empireEmperors played an active and prominent role

in ecclesiastical affairs.The role of the emperor evolved as secular begins to

superceed sacred

CultureConstantinople controlled the economy and

grew to an enormous size but other cities were relatively smallMostly because the major exports were of an

industrial nature such as luxury products, silk, cloth and carpets

CultureMostly GreekDomed buildings adapted from the Roman style

of architectureRichly colored mosaicsPainted Icons

Justinian & Theodorarecovered provinces that had been previously

overrun by invaders.The Byzantine empire reached its greatest size under Justinian.

launched a program to beautify Constantinople. church of Hagia Sophia improved on earlier Roman buildings.

reformed the law. Justinian’s Code was a model for medieval monarchs, the

Roman Catholic Church, and later legal thinkers.

used the law to unite the empire under his control Justinian ruled as an autocrat, or sole ruler with complete

authority. He also had power over the Church. (caesarpapism)

Emperor Justinian [r. 527-564]

Empress Theodora

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

Christianity in East and WestByzantine Christianity – Orthodox Church

Western European Christianity – Roman Catholic Church

•Byzantine emperor controlled Church affairs (caesarpapism)

•People rejected pope’s claim to authority over all Christians

•Clergy kept right to marry

•Greek was language of the Church•Easter was main holy day

•Emperor outlawed the use of icons, or holy images

•Pope controlled Church affairs

•People accepted pope’s claim to authority over all Christians

•Clergy prohibited from marrying

•Latin was language of the Church

•Christmas was main holy day

•Use of holy images permitted.

1054 – Differences between east and west provoked a schism, or permanent split, between the Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church

Sassanids of Persia

Jin in China