Contributions of Byzantium

1
Contributions of Byzantium

• Standard 7.1.3

2
A Unique Culture

• Constantinople was a city which combined Greek
  and Roman ideas with traditions of the East.
• - Crossroads between Asia and Europe

3
Preserving Roman Law

• Thanks to Justinian, the traditions of Roman Law
  were revived. He created a unified code of law ,
  Justinians Code, that combined individual,
  local, and imperial law.

4
Art and Architecture

• The Hagia Sophia would be the largest church
  ever built for over 1,000 years
• Mosaics typical art form, designed with colored
  stones and small pieces of glass, covered walls
  and domes of churches

5
Education and Literature

• Government supported schools
• Libraries contained manuscripts, or hand-written
  documents from Greece and Rome. Homers epics
  and Roman philosophies were saved because of this.

6
Spread of Byzantine Culture

• Visitors from Africa, Europe, and Asia were lured
  to Constantinople. and were amazed by the wealth
  of the city, as seen in clothing, jewelry, and
  elaborate ceremonies.
• Merchants came for trade, scholars came to study,
  and artists came to work. As people worked,
  traded, and traveled, Byzantine ideas, religion,
  and culture spread throughout the region.

7
Missionary Work

• Missionaries, those who are sent to other
  countries to spread their faith, traveled
  throughout Eastern Europe in the late 800s. The
  Eastern Orthodox church was adopted by Slavic
  kingdoms, such as Russia, Serbia, and Moravia.

8
The Russians Convert

• Inspired by Cyril and Methodius, Eastern Orthodox
  missionaries travel north to what is now Russia
  and the Ukraine. In 988, the Prince of Russia
  converts, or changes religions, to the Eastern
  Orthodox religion.

9
The End of the Byzantine Empire

• To the west, Germanic tribes regained lands
  conquered by Justinian
• The Persians threatened borders on the east,
  Arabs from the south, Slavs from the north
• Constantinople held strong until 1204 when
  Crusaders sacked the city.
• Civil wars followed, and the Turks, Serbs,
  Bulgarians rise to power.
• In 1453, the Ottomans destroy Constantinople for
  the last time. Constantine XI was the last
  representative of an unbroken line of emperors
  stretching back to Augustus, the first emperor of
  Rome.