The Byzantine Empire

Rome Has Fallen!

• Umm…. Not quite.

• Sure, Rome is sacked by barbarians.

• But only the Western Empire crumbles!

• The Eastern Empire exists for 1,000

more years.

• Capital is Constantinople

• Called the Byzantine Empire

Rome Divided

By…

Into…

Rome Divided (2)

Constantine -rebuilt the old Greek

port of Byzantium

-renamed it

Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople

• Constantinople is in middle of trade routes.

• City was naturally protected.

• Controlled the water between the Aegean and Black Sea.

• City became rich from taxes on trade.

Back to The Byzantines • At first, this Empire controlled only

a small area around the eastern Mediterranean

• but during the reign of Justinian (527-565), it started to recover much of the territory of the old Roman

empire.

Emperor Justinian • Comes from a poor

family.

• He retakes some

Roman provinces.

• Is a tremendous

ruler.

• Builds the Hagia

Sophia. (more on this

later)

Autocrat

• Justinian rules as an Autocrat

which means a ruler with

absolute power

Justinian’s Code • Preserved Roman law.

• Forms the basis of medieval and modern legal systems.

• Called the “Body of Civil Law”

• His work inspired the modern concept and the very spelling of "justice".

Politics & Military Political

• Good people running civil service.

• Good negotiators with foreigners.

• Arranged marriages with foreign princes.

Military

• Soldiers trained, given medical aid, and

updated weapons.

• Used “Greek Fire” at sea.

After Justinian…

• Empire shrinks in size due to foreign

invasions.

• Seljuk Turks invade in 1000s AD.

• Series of Crusades take place to drive out

Turks.

• Byzantines recapture Constantinople.

The End of the Byzantines

• The Byzantine Empire drew to a close in 1453 when forces from the Muslim Ottoman Empire surrounded and conquered Constantinople.

• The ancient Christian city was renamed Istanbul and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

THE BIG IDEA

The Byzantine Empire:

• had a strong government and a

uniform code of laws under Justinian

• was closely tied to the Orthodox

Christian Church

• Made contributions in architecture,

engineering, and art

• Affected the later development of

Russia and other nations of Eastern

Europe