The Justinian Code was a legal system created under Emperor Justinian I in 529 CE. The main purpose of the codes was to reconstruct Roman law. Prior to the creation of the codes, Roman law had become disintegrated. Justinian sought to arrange these laws to establish clarity and law across the Byzantine Empire. The code was divided into several parts: the Codex, the Digest, the Institutes, and the Novels, which together covered civil, criminal, and administrative law. The codes were important because it preserved Roman legal traditions and at the same time became the foundation of Byzantine law. The code’s influence extended beyond the Byzantine Empire, forging the development of legal systems in many European countries.

The image to the left is a mosaic of Emperor Justinian I

Christianity was the main religion in the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Constantine I, played a vital role by legalizing tolerance of Christianity in 313 CE through the Edict of Milan, allowing the faith to thrive. In 380 CE, Emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity the official state religion. Excluding emperors, other important figures like the Empress Theodora and patriarchs such as John Chrysostom and Basil the Great were influential beings of the faith. However, its massive popularity had consequences, notably the Iconoclast controversy, which contributed to the eventual Great Schism of 1054 CE, which divided Christianity into Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches.

The image to the right is the Catholic Church located in Rome.

Iconoclasm effects on the Byzantine Empire include political instability and division within the church. Iconoclasm refers to the removal of icons in the church. It began in 726 CE under Emperor Leo III, who viewed icons as a form of idolatry (religious worship of idols). This led to the Iconoclast controversy, a time of religious and political conflict in the Byzantine Empire. Supporters of iconoclasm argued that the use of icons violated the Ten Commandments, while opposers, known as iconophiles, believed icons were important for religious devotion and influence. The conflict was resolved in 843 CE when Empress Theodora reinstated icons in the church. Iconoclasm is important because it highlighted the power struggles between the emperor and the church.

The Great Schism of 1054 CE was the division of Christianity into two branches: the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. This split was a product from long-standing theological, political, and cultural differences between the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Orthodox) and the Papal authority in Rome (Roman Catholic). The main issue for the Byzantines was disagreements over the authority of the Pope and Roman practices. The Great Schism effect on the Byzantine Empire was very strong. Distancing themselves from the Roman Catholic Church weakened the unity among the people. To add, it marked a permanent religious division in Christianity. The division also contributed to the issues leading up to the Crusades and the fall of Constantinople and the dominance of the Byzantine Empire.

The image to the right is the Hagia Sophia, which at the time was the church of Orthodox Christianity located in Constantinople.