ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST. The Byzantine Empire – Cultural Perceptions n Byzantines saw Western...

ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST

The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire

– Cultural Perceptions Byzantines saw Western Europeans as

“barbarians” Westerners saw Byzantines as “sneaky” and

“liars”– These differences drove both Byzantine and

the West apart Continue to influence relationship between

Orthodox and Catholic churches today

WHY SO STRONG AND UNIQUE ?

Peninsula Strong fortified walls Crossroads for trade and culture ROMAN-- Government and Laws GREEK-- Day to day Lives CHRISTIAN--Religion and Morality

THE GOVERNMENT Caesaropapism

– Different interpretations of Christianity Caesaropapism in the east The Emperor is also the head of the Church Church and state separated in the west between Caesar and

the Pope

Centralized authority and elaborate bureaucracy Continued the legacy of the Caesars Beginning with Constantine in the 300s CE

Elaborate court Rituals surrounding the emperor became more intricate

– Machines developed to impress barbarians

Theme system

The Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Society– Free peasants

originally the foundation of the empire

Served as backbone of the military

Gradually free peasants were squeezed out by large landowners

– Forced to sell rights to their land to landlords– Became sharecroppers and serfs

THEME SYSTEM

Empire organized through the theme– A province under the control of a general

Generals responsible for military and civil affairs Directly responsible to the central government Allowed generals to raise armies quickly Theme allowed Byzantine Empire to control

southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean

The Byzantine Empire Empire organized through the theme

– A province under the control of a general• Generals responsible for military and civil affairs

• Directly responsible to the central government

• Allowed generals to raise armies quickly

• Theme allowed Byzantine Empire to control southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean

The Byzantine Empire

Urbanization– Constantinople was the largest city in Europe– Had the same sophistication as Rome

Bath, libraries, aqueducts, coliseums Chariot races popular

– Education widespread throughout the empire Basic literacy common through all classes Learning in Greek rather than Latin

CHRISTIAN IMPORTANCE Emperor as church leader Represents idea of Roman ruler

Represents idea of Jesus Christ

Patriarchs lead the church in Constantinople

Eventual split with Roman church in 1054

SCHISM---1054 Political dispute over the POPE and the

PATRIARCH Resentment over interference in ICON

dispute( are they sinful? ) Conflicts over translating Bible Marriage of priests Divorce Bread in communion-body and blood? Excommunicated each other

DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN DIPLOMACY

Political decisions by Economic sanctions

Marriage alliances

Threats

Spying

LAWS ORGANIZED

WOMEN’S RIGHTS EXPANDED

ARCHITECTURE FLOURISHED

OLD BOUNDARIES REGAINED

JUSTINIAN’S CODE

Organized, clarified, simplified laws; ordinances, court records, judgements, and precedents from a Christian POV (death penalty gone)

CORPUS JURIS CIVILIS

“Actress”

Strong sense of right and wrong

advised Justinian to put down boyars’ revolt

Men forbidden to beat wives

Women own goods and property

Widows raise children without outside interference

ARCHITECTURE Greek and Roman

techniques for: roads Public buildings Churches

HAGIA SOPHIA

impressed all who saw it

BLUE MOSQUEBLUE MOSQUE

HAGIA SOPHIAHAGIA SOPHIA

B E L I S A R I U SB E L I S A R I U S– Sent general Belisarius to

reclaim Italy, Sicily, northern Africa and Spain in 553 CE

– Much of the old Western Roman Empire reconquered by 565 CE

However, did not remain part of the Byzantine Empire for long

– Faced attacks from Slavs in the north and Persians in the east

WHAT ELSE The Byzantine Empire faced new pressures

from the rise of Islam– Islamic empire expanded to conquer Palestine,

Egypt, and north Africa– Muslims made two attempts to conquer

Constantinople (674-78, 717-18)

Unsuccessful because of Constantinople’s location Also because of “Greek fire”, a flamethrower

DECLINE AND COLLAPSE (1025-1453)

– Pressures from the West Normans took over southern Italy and

Sicily and challenged Byzantine control of the Mediterranean

The Crusades (1204)– Westerners stopped at Constantinople on

the way to Holy Land– Constantinople sacked by Westerners

PRESSURES FROM THE EAST

Expansion of Islam gradually shrinks empire– Battle of Manzikert (1071) deals heavy blow to the

Byzantines– Muslims gradually control Anatolia

Ottoman Turks conquer Constantinople in 1453– End of the Byzantine Empire

Influence of Byzantine Empire– Spread of Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe

St. Cyril brings Christianity to Russia– Russian states emerge influenced by Byzantine

culture and religion The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire