10-1 Byzantine Empire

Section 1: The Byzantine Empire

Objectives - In this section:

1. You will learn what factors contributed to the growth and strength of the

Byzantine Empire.

2. You will find out how the Christian church came to be divided.

3. You will learn about the cultural contributions of the Byzantines.

4. Finally, you will discover what factors contributed to the downfall of the

Byzantine Empire.

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Vocabulary - Section 1

Justinian: Byzantine emperor who ruled in the A.D. 500s, one of the greatest periods in Byzantine history

Justinian Code: Collection of Roman law and legal opinion that formed the basis for Byzantine law

dowry: Money or goods a wife brings to a marriage

Theodora: Justinian’s wife and adviser, who urged Justinian to change the law to improve the status of women

Belisarius: General of the Byzantine Army who expanded the Byzantine Empire to its greatest size.

“Greek fire”: Flammable liquid used as a weapon by the Byzantine navy

icon: Holy picture of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or a saint

iconoclasts: People who opposed icons as the worship of idols

Iconoclastic Controversy: Debate between opponents and defenders of icons, which led to the split of the Christian church

heresy: Opinion that conflicts with official church beliefs

excommunication: Official edict that bars a person from church membership

Cyril and Methodius: Missionary brothers who, in order to teach the Bible to Slavs, created the Slavic alphabet, known as Cyrillic mosaic: Picture or design made from small pieces of enamel, glass, or stone

Hagia Sophia: Byzantine church in Constantinople that was considered an architectural and engineering wonder

Ottoman Turks: Asian people who conquered Constantinople in the 1400s and established a large empire

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Focus Questions

1. What effects did the political and legal ideas in Justinian’s Code have on

Byzantine and other societies?

2. What kind of government did the Byzantine Empire have?

3. How did the council of bishops in Rome feel about Byzantine views of

Christianity?

4. What evidence would you give to show that Byzantines built upon previous

cultures and contributed to future cultures?

5. Why was the Seljuq Turks’ invasion of Asia Minor so harmful to the Byzantine

Empire?

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Prior to the Rise of the Byzantine Empire

The story of the Byzantine Empire really starts with a discussion of the Roman Empire. In 324 CE (AD), the Roman Emperor Constantine took control of the Roman Empire, reunifying the Western Roman Empire with the Eastern Roman Empire. It had been split 50 years earlier under the Roman Emperor, Diocletian. Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the east. He built up the city of Constantinople (previously it had been called Byzantium, today it is called Istanbul). He used the Roman knowledge in engineering to bring water to the city (aqueducts).

Remember it was Constantine who converted to Christianity and allowed Christians living in the Roman Empire to practice their faith without fear of persecution. Christianity stayed as the religion of the Byzantine Empire.

(Link to clip after 5 min, ff to 23 min)

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History of Europe (3000 BC - 2013 AD) (Better Music)

Watch as 1000 years of European borders change timelapse map

The emperor Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire in the A.D. 500,s, one of the greatest periods in Byzantine history. Perhaps his greatest contribution was collecting and preserving Roman law. Justinian, looked at his empire and saw that the laws were a mess. Since they weren't written down, the laws in one part of the empire might be different then the laws in another part of the empire. Justinian wanted all of his people to be treated the same way, so Justinian had his judges and lawyers get together and write down all the laws of the land. This collection, known as the Justinian Code, contained useful laws, legal opinions, and a guide for law students.

It formed the basis of Byzantine law and provided the framework for many European legal systems. The Code preserved the Roman idea that people should be ruled by laws rather than by the whims of leaders, which formed the basis of English civil law.

At the urging of his wife, Theodora, Justinian changed Byzantine law to improve the status of women. He changed the divorce laws and allowed Christian women to own property equal to their dowry. A dowry was the money or goods a wife brought to a husband in marriage.

As his general Justinian wisely chose an experienced commander, Belisarius (bel·uh·SAR·ee·uhs), who expanded the Byzantine Empire to its greatest size. An all-powerful emperor and strong central government ruled the empire.

Government officials were skilled, efficient, and well paid. Well-trained and well-armed military forces protected the borders. The Byzantine navy equipped its ships with a chemical called “Greek fire.” When sprayed onto enemy ships, it burst into flames.

The grand city of Constantinople, located where Europe meets Asia, grew wealthy from trade. Taxes paid soldiers and government officials and build magnificent public buildings.

The Christian church was important to the empire. But differences between West and East divided the church. The Byzantines did not recognize the authority of the pope. The patriarch of Constantinople headed the Eastern church. Religious practices also divided West from East. An icon is a holy picture of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or a saint. Many Byzantines honored icons.

Iconoclasts opposed icons as the worship of idols. This debate is called the Iconoclastic Controversy. Emperor Leo III ordered the destruction of icons. However, many people could not read or write. Icons helped them learn about Christianity.

The pope and council of bishops in Rome decided that abolishing icons was heresy. A heresy is an opinion that conflicts with official church beliefs. The council threatened iconoclasts with excommunication, banning them from membership in the church. This decision helped split the church. The Roman Catholic Church kept the pope as its head.

The Eastern Orthodox Church was led by the patriarch of Constantinople. Ironically, the Eastern church later accepted icons. Byzantine civilization thrived. Its scholars preserved the learning of Greece, Rome, and the East and produced new works of scholarship.

Christian missionaries carried Byzantine culture to new lands. The brothers Cyril (sir·uhl) and Methodius (muh·THOH·dee·uhs) taught the Bible to the Slavs. Because they had no written language, Cyril and Methodius created a Slavic alphabet, known as Cyrillic (suh·RIL·ik).

The Byzantines created beautiful murals and icons in their churches. Floors, walls, and arches glowed with mosaics. A mosaic is a picture or design made from small pieces of enamel, glass, or stone. The Byzantines also created great religious architecture, such as the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Built by Justinian, the huge church was an architectural wonder. Although domes had been built before, the Byzantines were the first to successfully place a round dome over a rectangular building.

After Justinian, the Byzantine Empire lost much land. During the A.D. 1000s the Seljuq Turks, a nomadic people from central Asia, captured Asia Minor. This region was an important source of food and soldiers for the empire.

The Byzantine emperor asked the West to help defend Constantinople. Western forces seized Asia Minor, but later turned against the Byzantines and seized Constantinople. The empire never regained its former strength. The Ottoman Turks, an Islamic group from the south east, captured Constantinople and established their own empire in 1453.

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Review

Answers to the focus questions

1. What effects did the political and legal ideas in Justinian’s Code have on Byzantine and other societies?

· Justinian’s Code provided a framework for legal systems in both the Byzantine Empire and western Europe. The Code preserved the Roman idea that people should be ruled by laws rather than by the whims of leaders, which formed the basis of English civil law.

2. What kind of government did the Byzantine Empire have?

· The Byzantine Empire had a strong, centralized government with an all-powerful emperor. Government officials were skilled, efficient, and well paid from income from taxes.

3. How did the council of bishops in Rome feel about Byzantine views of Christianity?

· The council of bishops in Rome felt that Byzantine views of Christianity, such as forbidding icons, were heretical. They threatened the Byzantines with excommunication.

4. What evidence would you give to show that Byzantines built upon previous cultures

and contributed to future cultures?

· The Byzantines built upon previous culture by preserving the Roman legal system and Greek and Roman scholarship. They provided a great service for cultures that followed by passing on the learning of ancient Greece, Rome, and the East. The Byzantines also contributed to future cultures by producing many original scholarly works for future generations, creating the Cyrillic alphabet, and passing on Mediterranean culture to lands beyond the empire's borders. Their architecture also built on the domes of previous cultures by solving the problem of placing a round dome over a rectangular building.

5. Why was the Seljuq Turks’ invasion of Asia Minor so harmful to the Byzantine

Empire?

· The Seljuq Turk’s invasion of Asia Minor harmed the Byzantine Empire by cutting off its main source of food supplies and soldiers.