The Rise of the ByzantinesThe Rise of the Byzantines

Main Idea:Main Idea:The Eastern Roman Empire grew rich The Eastern Roman Empire grew rich

and and powerful as the Western and and powerful as the Western Roman Empire fell.Roman Empire fell.

The Eastern Roman or The Eastern Roman or Byzantine Byzantine EmpireEmpire reached a high point in the reached a high point in the A.D. 500’s.A.D. 500’s.

It spread west to Italy, south to It spread west to Italy, south to Egypt, and east to the border of Egypt, and east to the border of Arabia.Arabia.

GreeksGreeks made up the largest group. made up the largest group.

Emperor Emperor ConstantineConstantine moved the capital of the moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome Roman Empire from Rome to the east and called it to the east and called it ConstantinopleConstantinople in present in present day Istanbul, Turkey.day Istanbul, Turkey.

It is located between the It is located between the Black Sea and Aegean Sea Black Sea and Aegean Sea which makes it a which makes it a crossroads for trade crossroads for trade between Europe and Asia.between Europe and Asia.

It became very wealthy It became very wealthy from trade.from trade.

It was known as It was known as “New “New Rome”Rome” and followed and followed Roman ways.Roman ways.

Public buildings and Public buildings and palaces were built in the palaces were built in the Roman style.Roman style.

The The HippodromeHippodrome was a was a huge arena built for huge arena built for chariot racing.chariot racing.

Political and social life Political and social life was based on the Roman was based on the Roman way with Emperors way with Emperors speaking Latin and speaking Latin and enforcing Roman laws.enforcing Roman laws.

The poor still received The poor still received free bread and shows.free bread and shows.

The wealthy lived on The wealthy lived on large farming estates.large farming estates.

The Rise of The Rise of the the

ByzantinesByzantines

As time passed, the As time passed, the Byzantine Empire Byzantine Empire became more became more GreekGreek. . ( spoke Greek and ( spoke Greek and honored Greek history)honored Greek history)

Other groups such as the Other groups such as the EgyptiansEgyptians, , Persians, and Persians, and SlavsSlavs also contributed to also contributed to the cultural ways.the cultural ways.

Between A.D. 500 and Between A.D. 500 and A.D. 1200, the A.D. 1200, the Byzantines had one of Byzantines had one of the world’s richest and the world’s richest and most advanced empires.most advanced empires.

JustinianJustinian JustinianJustinian became Emperor became Emperor in A.D. 527.in A.D. 527.

He was strong leader who He was strong leader who controlled the military, controlled the military, made laws, and was made laws, and was supreme judge. His order supreme judge. His order was unquestionable.was unquestionable.

He was married to He was married to Theodora, a strong-willed, Theodora, a strong-willed, former actress who helped former actress who helped him run the empire.him run the empire.

TheodoraTheodora influenced influenced Justinian to give women Justinian to give women more rights. Example: more rights. Example: Women were given the Women were given the right to own land.right to own land.

Justinian’s Justinian’s ConquestsConquests

Justinian wanted to reunite Justinian wanted to reunite the Roman Empire.the Roman Empire.

He named the general, He named the general, BelisariusBelisarius, to strenghthen and , to strenghthen and lead the army.lead the army.

BelisariusBelisarius organized organized a a calvarycalvary of soldiers on horseback who of soldiers on horseback who wore armor and carried wore armor and carried bows bows and and lanceslances..

The Byzantine military was The Byzantine military was successful in conquering Italy, successful in conquering Italy, Northern Africa, and defeating Northern Africa, and defeating the Persians.the Persians.

after Justinian’s death, his after Justinian’s death, his empire didn’t have the money empire didn’t have the money to maintain an army and lost to maintain an army and lost the west again.the west again.

Justinian ordered a Justinian ordered a group of scholars led group of scholars led by, by, TribonianTribonian, to , to reform the empires reform the empires laws.laws.

The new simplified The new simplified code became known code became known as as Justinian’s CodeJustinian’s Code..

The new code made The new code made it easier for officials, it easier for officials, business people, and business people, and individuals to more individuals to more easily understand easily understand the Empire’s laws.the Empire’s laws.

Justinian’s Code had Justinian’s Code had a great influence on a great influence on the laws of many the laws of many European countries European countries of today.of today.

Byzantine Byzantine CivilizationCivilization

The Byzantine The Byzantine civilization lasted about civilization lasted about 1000 1000 years.years.

ConstantinopleConstantinople became became the richest city in the richest city in Europe.Europe.

Byzantines were highly Byzantines were highly educated and creative.educated and creative.

They preserved and They preserved and passed on passed on Greek cultureGreek culture and and Roman lawRoman law to other to other peoples.peoples.

They gave the world They gave the world new methods of arts.new methods of arts.

They spread They spread ChristianityChristianity to people in Eastern to people in Eastern Europe.Europe.

The The Importance Importance

of Tradeof Trade

From the A.D. 500’s to From the A.D. 500’s to the A.D. 1100’s, the the A.D. 1100’s, the Byzantine Empire was Byzantine Empire was the center of the center of tradetrade between between EuropeEurope and and AsiaAsia..

1. Imports (from Asia)- 1. Imports (from Asia)- Byzantium received Byzantium received luxury goods such as, luxury goods such as, spices, gems, metals and spices, gems, metals and cloth.cloth.

2. Exports (from Byzantium) 2. Exports (from Byzantium) included farm goods, included farm goods, furs, honey, and furs, honey, and enslaved people from enslaved people from Northern Europe.Northern Europe.

Although trade made Although trade made Byzantium wealthy, most Byzantium wealthy, most people were farmers, people were farmers, herders, laborers, and herders, laborers, and artisans. A major artisans. A major industry was industry was silk silk weavingweaving..

Byzantine Byzantine Art Art and and

ArchitectureArchitecture

Byzantine emperors Byzantine emperors ordered the building of ordered the building of churches, forts, and churches, forts, and public building, public building, throughout the empire.throughout the empire.

Constantinople is known Constantinople is known for hundreds of for hundreds of churcheschurches and and palacespalaces..

Justinians greatest Justinians greatest building achievement building achievement was the was the Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia, , which means which means “Holy “Holy Wisdom.”Wisdom.”

It became the religious It became the religious center of the Byzantine center of the Byzantine Empire.Empire.

Byzantine Art and Byzantine Art and ArchitectureArchitecture

Byzantine ArchitectureByzantine Architecture Inside the Hagia SophiaInside the Hagia Sophia

Byzantine Art and Byzantine Art and ArchitectureArchitecture

The walls of the The walls of the Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia were covered with were covered with beautiful marble beautiful marble mosaicsmosaics; pictures ; pictures made from many made from many bits of colored bits of colored glass or stone.glass or stone.

Byzantine mosaics Byzantine mosaics mainly showed mainly showed figures of figures of saintssaints or or Christian holy Christian holy peoplepeople..

Byzantine Religious ArtByzantine Religious Art

FamilyFamily was the center was the center of social life.of social life.

The government The government stressed the stressed the importance of importance of marriagemarriage and and divorcedivorce was rare. was rare.

Some Byzantine women Some Byzantine women became well educated became well educated and involved in politics.and involved in politics.

Some women served as Some women served as regentsregents, a person who , a person who stands in for a ruler stands in for a ruler who is too young or too who is too young or too ill to ill to governgovern..

LearningLearning was highly was highly respected in the Byzantine respected in the Byzantine culture and was supported culture and was supported by the governmentby the government

Boys studied religion, Boys studied religion, medicine, law, arithmetic, medicine, law, arithmetic, grammar, and other grammar, and other subjects.subjects.

Girls were taught at home.Girls were taught at home. Byzantine authors wrote Byzantine authors wrote

about about religionreligion and stressed and stressed the need to obey god and the need to obey god and save one’s soul.save one’s soul.

Byzantine writers copied Byzantine writers copied and passed on the writings and passed on the writings of the ancient of the ancient GreeksGreeks and and RomansRomans. These are the . These are the world’s only copies.world’s only copies.