THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

WHICH COLOR REPRESENTS THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE?

EMPEROR CONSTANTINE

Constantine tried to save the empire by moving the capital city from Rome to the Greek city-state of Byzantium.

He renamed the city Constantinople.

He brought over Roman architecture, art, buildings and culture.

THE LOCATION OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AFFECTED ITS CULTURE AND SOCIETY.

Constantinople was located on a peninsula which made it easy to defend.

Constantinople lay on the waterways between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. Good for sea trade.

Constantinople’s harbors provided safe shelters for ships.

Contact with foreign cultures affected the Byzantine culture and society.

GREEK CIVILIZATION INFLUENCED THE BYZANTINES.

As time passed, the Byzantine Empire became more Greek.

There were more Greeks than Romans in the Eastern Empire.

People spoke Greek and honored their Greek past.

EMPEROR JUSTINIAN

Ruled from A.D. 527 to A.D. 565 (38 years) Expanded the Empire: Reclaimed parts of the Western Roman

Empire. Reorganized the military: Ordered General Belisarius to

reorganize the military to include cavalry & foot soldiers. Justinian’s Code: Condensed volumes of Roman law to let

officials, business people, and citizens better understand the law. These laws still have a strong influence in Europe today.

JUSTINIAN’S MILITARY CONQUESTS

HAGIA SOPHIA The Church of “Holy Wisdom” was built by

Justinian.

CHRISTIAN MOSAICS

ISLAMIC ART