Byzantine Notes

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The Byzantine Empire

Section 1 - Constantine Creates a "New Rome"

You have read that as German invaders pounded the Roman empire in the west, the Roman Emperor Constantine and his successors shifted their base to the eastern Mediterranean. Constantine rebuilt the Greek City of Byzantium and then renamed it after himself - Constantinople. In 330, he made Constantinople the new capital for the empire. From this "New Rome," roads fanned out to the Balkans, to the Middle East, and to North Africa. In time, the eastern Roman empire became known as the Byzantine empire.

Section 2 - Byzantium Flourishes Under Justinian

The Byzantine empire reached its peak under the emperor Justinian, who ruled from 527 to 565. Justinian was determined to revive ancient Rome by recovering lands that had been overrun by invaders. led by the brilliant general Belisarius, Byzantine armies reconquered North Africa, Italy, and the southern Iberian peninsula. However, the fighting exhausted Justinian's treasury and weakened his defenses in the east. Moreover, the victories were only temporary. Justinian's successors would lose the bitterly contested lands, one after another.

Section 3 - The Empire Suffers Crisis and Collapse

By the time of the schism, the Byzantine empire was in decline. Struggles over succession, court intrigues, and constant wars undermined its strength. As in Western Europe, powerful local lords gained control of large areas. As the empire faltered, its enemies advanced. The Normans conquered southern Italy. Even more serious, the Seljuk Turks advanced across Asia Minor. The Seljuks had been a nomadic people in central Asia. They converted to Islam in their migrations westward.

Section 4 - The Byzantine Heritage

Although Byzantine power had faded long before, the fall of Constantinople marked the end of an age. To Europeans, the empire had stood for centuries as the enduring symbol of Roman civilization. Throughout the Middl Ages, Byzantine influences radiated across Europe. Even the Ottoman conquered adapted features of Byzantine government, social life, and architecture.

What was the Byzantine heritage? For 1,000 years the Byzantines built on the culture of the Hellenistic world. Byzantine civilizations blended Christian religious beliefs with Greek science, philosophy, arts, and literature. The Byzantines also extended Roman achievements in engineering and law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65mXgkrH2fs (Enclavar)

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Byzantine Empire