Byzantine Empire

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Byzantine Empire
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Byzantine Empire

• 4th C. Western Eastern Roman separated
• Germanic tribes conquered West (Rome) but the
  East (Byzantine) remained intact 1000 years
• Constantinople major city
• Justinian Emperor of Eastern Empire
• Important contribution Justinian code The
  Body of Civil Law codification of Roman law
  became foundation of the East in Latin

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Characteristics of Byzantium

• Latin is slowly replaced by Greek preserved
  Greek (classical) culture
• Codified laws (Justinian)
• Christian state magnificent churches built
  (combined Greco-Roman Persian), mosaics
• Emperor controlled church and state (theocracy)

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Constantinople

• Largest city in Europe during Middle Ages
• Center of great commerce (silk from China, spices
  from Asia, jewelry and ivory from India, wheat
  from Russia)
• Silkworms smuggled into Byzantium from China to
  begin silk industry
• Immense palaces, the Hippodrome (arena)
• Great public works, baths, schools, reservoirs,
  etc.

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Problems in the empire

• Too much land to protect
• Autocratic govt. absolute power, lavish court
• Empty treasury due to spending
• Declining population due to plague
• Renewed threats on the borders Persians (east),
  Slavs (north), Arab world (Islam)

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Problems

• Growing split between Catholic Church of the West
  and Eastern Orthodox of Byzantine (didnt accept
  Popes claim that he was head of the church)
• Pope Leo IX schism (split) the church
• Byzantine lasts until 1453 when Ottoman Turks
  take over

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Contributions

• Preserved Greek culture/learning
• Adopted Roman ideas of law
• Preserved Christianity (Orthodox)
• Great center of wealth and trade
• Art, philosophy, science, literature, education
• Theatres, palaces, reservoirs (engineering
  architecture)