Chapter 11 ~ Byzantium

Chapter 11 Byzantine Empire and Arabia

I. Geography of the Byzantine Empire

A. Roots of an Empire

1. The Byzantine Empire covered southern and eastern Europe and parts of northern

Africa and southwest Asia.

2. In the European areas: climate was hot and dry in summer and wet in winter/

grew grapes, olives, grains *most people lived in villages

3. In northern Africa and parts of Asia: climate was hotter and drier, winters were

mild/ desert areas/ many people were herders – moved from place to place.

B. The Ultimate Location

1. Constantinople was located on a peninsula between the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Trade was very important.

2. Leaders built walls for protection from land and sea attacks.

C. A Blend of Cultures

1. Byzantine culture is a blend of Greek and Roman culture. It is the old Eastern Roman

Empire.

2. Greek languages were used. Roman traditions such as public baths and

hippodromes, or stadiums for chariot races and other entertainment were popular.

3. Art, architecture, and learning attracted many people to Constantinople especially

after the western part of the Roman Empire crumbled.

II. The Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

A. Byzantine Glory

1. Emperor Justinian wanted to regain some of the land that the Roman Empire had lost

and expanded the Byzantine Empire into North Africa and parts of the western

Mediterranean.

2. Theodora, Justinian’s wife, was his most trusted advisor. She encouraged him to

defend Constantinople and the Empire.

3. The Roman laws were organized into the Justinian Code. It is the basis for many legal

systems today and made it easier to rule the Empire fairly.

B. The Glorious Church

1. He had the magnificent cathedral (Christian church), Hagia Sophia, rebuilt.

2. Justinian believed that God had chosen him to run the Empire – the church was the

Eastern or Byzantine Orthodox Church.

3. The Christian church split in 1054, one major disagreement was over the use of

religious pictures or icons as part of worship.

III. Development of Islam

A. Birth of Islam

1. A pilgrimage (hajj) or journey to a place of religious importance was an essential part

of Islam.

2. Muhammad, a prophet, taught that there is only one God in a new religion called Islam.

3. Muslims are people who believe in Islam, and their holy book is called the Quran.

B. The Message of Islam

1. Muslims believe in five basic duties known as the “Pillars of Islam”. These include the

following ideas: ~ there is only one God and Muhammad is the most important prophet;

~daily prayers/ usually in a mosque ( place of worship) /charity to the

poor

~pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca once in a lifetime if possible

2. Unlike some religions, Islam does not have a central religious leader (like a

pope/bishop)

IV. The Islamic World

A. Islamic Culture

1. Muslims from Central Asia called Turks, took control of Constantinople. It became the

capital of their Ottoman Empire.

2. Islam and the Arabic language spread to new lands through trade and war.

3. Non- Muslims had to pay a special tax, could not hold position of power, and their

places of worship could not be openly seen.

B. Trading Ideas

1. Many new ideas were spread though trade:

Muslims: a) used waterwheels for irrigation

b) expanded knowledge of math:

~ algebra – helped measurement on land and sky

~ mapmaking

c) astronomy – used an astrolabe to see the position of the stars – helped

make accurate maps

d) doctors discovered blood circulation in the human body.

C. Experts at Sea

1. Muslim sailors were excellent navigators. They used the angle of the North Star to

find their position at sea.

2. They used triangular sails to help them sail with or into the wind.