The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire

1. The Empire at 500 AD

   • There were Lots of different troops that invaded the Roman empire
     • The majority of the groups invaded the Western Half of the Empire
     • In 600 AD, the Slavs made their way into the eastern empire

2. The Fall of The Roman empire

   • After the Pax Romana, the Roman empire entered an era of decline
     • Rome had a series of weak emperors along with a large trade imbalance (they bought more than they produced)
       • As Rome continued to fall in debt, the military became weak and had to use foreign mercenary soldiers
         • The emperor Diocletian attempted to save Rome by splitting the empire in half as a result of being too large to control
           • The Western Empire continued to grow weak
             • By 476, Barbarians Conquered the Western Roman empire
               • As a result, The Roman empire fell into the middle or Dark Ages from 500 to 1300 AD
           • Constantine moved Rome's capital to Constantinople in the Eastern empire
             • What happened to the Eastern Empire?
               • While the Western Empire was in decline, the eastern empire still remained strong
                 • The Eastern empire changed to the Byzantine Empire
             • How did Geography affect Constantinople?
               • Constantinople was a wealthy trade city between the Mediterranean and Black Seas
             • Culture in the Byzantine Empire
               • The Byzantines kept Greco-Roman culture
                 • Constantinople was a learning central for schools that taught grammar, medicine, philosophy, language and geometry
                   • Constantinople also shared Roman architecture with arches and domes
                     • The Byzantine also had forums for Central town activity like trade, just like the early Romans
                       • The empires also had arenas for entertainment
                         • The Byzantines also had Chariot races, like the early Romans for entertainment
                           • The empire's main language was Latin, however, most Byzantines were set on Greek language
                             • Most Byzantines had gone to Christianity for religion due to the empire being close to Judea
                               • Government
                                 • Byzantines and Romans were ruled by emperors that had absolute power over the empire
                                 • Justinian was the most famous Byzantine emperor
                                   • After 50 years from the fall of Rome, Justinian began reconquering Roman territorries
                                   • To oversee the empire, Justinian created the Justinian code, which was the basis to Byzantine law for 900 years
                     • One of the most famous architectural buildings was the Christian cathedral, the Hagia Sophia