The Byzantine Empire

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The Byzantine Empire
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The Byzantine Empire

• Fall of Rome half fall
• Civil war ravaged the western half of the
  Empire, the eastern half of the empire was pretty
  stable.
• So Emperor Constantine decided to create a new
  capital at the former Greek city of Byzantium,
  which he renamed Constantinople (present-day
  Istanbul). 
• When the western half of the Roman Empire fell in
  476, the Eastern half survived and thrived.  This
  Eastern half of the Roman Empire later became
  known as the Byzantine Empire.

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Geographic Location
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Growth of Empire

• Emperors wanted the glory of Rome to live on.
  Emperor Justinian led the revival
• Justinian Code
• Theodora
• Belisarius
• Greek Fire
• What kind of Government do you think the
  Byzantine Empire had?

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Government

• Centralized government
• Political power
• Social power
• Economic Power

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Christian Church

• Byzantines did not recognize popes power like
  in the West.
• Icons
• Iconoclast Controversy
• Heresy
• Excommunication
• Eastern Orthodox Church

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Culture

• Constantinople
• Center for trade/spreading of ideas
• Scholars served to preserve much of the Greek and
  Roman advancements and teachings
• Cyril and Methodius
• Mosaics
• Hagia Sophia

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Decline of the Byzantine Empire

• Invasions and wars after Justinian died in 565
  A.D.
• Seljuk turks invaded
• The Byzantine Empire finally collapsed in 1453
  due to invasions by the Ottomans, but fortunately
  by that time it had served its important function
  as a bridge to the past and to the achievements
  of the Muslims

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Recap

• The Byzantine Empire served two very important
  historical functions
• Preservation of Roman and Greek Culture
• Cultural Diffusion - Not only did the Byzantine
  help preserve Roman and Greek culture and
  Christianity but the Empire also spread these
  ideas to other parts of the world.