Byzantine Empire

Seite 1

Decline of Rome

Pax Romana

Lasts 207 years

27 BC —> 180 AD

Minimal expansion

peace

After 180, Roman Empire confronted with issues

Diocletian

Takes power in 284 AD

Changes empire to monarchy

Divided empire into 2 sides

Diocletian - east

Maximum - west

Splitting the Empire

Divided the empire to preserve it

west

Speaks latin

Weak because of Germanic invadors

east

Speaks greek

Stronger and wealthier

Diocletian ruled rigidly - new tax plan, improved defense

When eventually steps down - civil war

No system for next emperor

Constantine gains control of west in 312 AD and east in 324 AD

New Capital

Constantine moved capital to Byzantium in 330 AD

Renames contantanople

Advantages

Peninsula

Nautural safe harbor for merchant and military ships

Natural defense

trade

Access to Mediterranean sea

Where silk roads trade route connected to europe/asia

Constantinople

Modeled after rome

Heavily fortified

Water on 3 sides

Multi-ethnic city

Greek, Persians, Italians, turks, slavs, Armenians, and jews

Spoke greek, but latin was the official language

During Constantinople rule, more than 600,000 lived in city

Convinced wealthy romans to move by offering to build large palaces

Fall of Rome

After Constantine’s death, western Roman Empire fell

Fell because

Invasion of germanic tribes - pressure from the Huns

Attila the Hun attacks Rome

Germanic tribes conquer provinces

476 AD - last emperor is sent into exile

Byzantine Empire

Eastern half of empire survives - turns into Byzantine Empire

Flourishes and preserves greek and Roman culture for another 1000 years

Lasts until 1453 when falls to Ottoman Empire

Emperor Justinian

527-565 - Emperor Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire

He wanted to restore the original Roman Empire

Used military to recapture territories in Northern Africa

Justinian and Theodora

Justinian married Theodora

This was controversial because Theodora is an actress and has no political and/or royal background

Theodora was passionate about women’s rights and social justice

She served as co-emperor

This is the first time that we’re seeing shared power

Nika Revolt

There were fights in the Hippodrome between social classes (included chariot races and animal fights)

Those dressed in blue were higher class

Dressed in green were lower class

532 AD - blues and greens joined together to rebel against government

Rioted, burned down parts of city

Justinian wanted to flee but Theodora made him stay and fight

Justinians Rule

Reformed roman laws

Corpus Juris Civilis means body of civil law

4 parts

Became justinian's code

Justinian left the country bankrupt because he was trying to expand the empire

It couldn’t be governed

Hagia Sophia

Means holy wisdom

After Nika Revolt, Justinian ordered creation or Hagia Sophia because the previous church burned down

Dedicated in 537

Took 6 years to build

Has an elaborate design

Signified center of Christian world