In the East . . .

1
In the East . . .

• The Byzantine Empire

2
Early history

• Before the Western Roman Empire fell,
  Constantine had moved the most important
  functions of the government east, to
  Constantinople (formerly known as Byzantium)
• This would be a Christian capital (because there
  were so many pagans in Rome)

3
Early history

• The Eastern Empire avoided many problems due to
  Constantinoples location as a trading crossroads
• The East therefore prospered and, after the
  Western Empire fell, became known as the
  Byzantine Empire

4
A Tale of Two Empires

• Roman culture did not die out in western Europe
  because the Germanic tribes that took over were
  influenced by
• 1. the Latin language
• 2. Roman culture
• 3. the Roman Catholic
• Church

5
A Tale of Two Empires

• Roman culture did not die out in western Europe
  because the Germanic tribes that took over were
  influenced by
• 1. the Latin language
• 2. Roman culture
• 3. the Roman Catholic
• Church

• In the Byzantine Empire, the following became
  dominant
• 1. the Greek language
• 2. Hellenistic culture
• 3. the Greek (Eastern)
• Orthodox Church

(the first split - or schism - in Christianity
C.E. 1054)
6
Decline and Fall

• The Byzantine Empire grew (see map on page 286)
  but then started experiencing attacks on all
  sides
• In 1453, the Ottoman Turks finally took
  Constantinople
• Byzantine civilization lives on in the
  civilizations of the Slavic peoples of Eastern
  Europe (in todays Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria,
  Serbia, etc.)