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The Byzantine Empire
• Constantinople: capital city of Byzantine Empire; ancient Byzantium; modern Istanbul
• Constantine: Roman Emperor who moved capital to Byzantium
• Roman Emperor Constantine became a Christian and stopped persecution of Christians
• Moved capital city to Byzantium in eastern empire, renamed it Constantinople
The Byzantine Empire
• Citizens of Constantinople were still called Byzantines
• Empire eventually split in two – one capital in Rome (Holy Roman Empire), one in Constantinople
• The eastern half of empire was stronger and wealthier
• Strait – narrow body of water separating two land masses
• Bosporus – strait separating Europe and Asia; connects Black Sea to Mediterranean
The Byzantine Empire
• Constantinople was at crossroads of land and sea trade routes
• Was located on the Bosporus
• City charged taxes for all goods passing through the city – grew wealthy
The Byzantine Empire
• Justinian’s Code: collection of Roman laws and explanations for them and their use; became basis for many modern legal systems
• 476 Holy Roman (western) Empire falls
• Justinian was a great Byzantine ruler
• Main contribution was organizing laws in Justinian’s Code
The Byzantine Empire
• Greek Fire: Ancient weapon that was a substance that would burn without going out – even in water; formula now lost to history
• Emperors after Justinian had to fight many wars against neighbors
• Greek Fire used to defend themselves
The Byzantine Empire
• Schism: Split – usually between two groups who originally had similar beliefs
• Byzantines were Christian
• Celebrated differently from Christians in West
• In 1054 founded their own church: Eastern (Greek) Orthodox
• Christians in West were called Catholics
The Byzantine Empire• Conflicts with Turks and
others weakened empire• Catholic Christian
Crusaders and Muslims often attacked empire
• 1453 force of 70,000 Muslim Turks laid siege to Constantinople
• 7,000 defenders held out for two months
The Byzantine Empire
• Empire fell in 1453• Muslims took over,
rebuilt the city and renamed it Istanbul
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire