ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire
– Cultural Perceptions Byzantines saw Western Europeans as
“barbarians” Westerners saw Byzantines as “sneaky” and
“liars”– These differences drove both Byzantine and
the West apart Continue to influence relationship between
Orthodox and Catholic churches today
WHY SO STRONG AND UNIQUE ?
Peninsula Strong fortified walls Crossroads for trade and culture ROMAN-- Government and Laws GREEK-- Day to day Lives CHRISTIAN--Religion and Morality
THE GOVERNMENT Caesaropapism
– Different interpretations of Christianity Caesaropapism in the east The Emperor is also the head of the Church Church and state separated in the west between Caesar and
the Pope
Centralized authority and elaborate bureaucracy Continued the legacy of the Caesars Beginning with Constantine in the 300s CE
Elaborate court Rituals surrounding the emperor became more intricate
– Machines developed to impress barbarians
Theme system
The Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Society– Free peasants
originally the foundation of the empire
Served as backbone of the military
Gradually free peasants were squeezed out by large landowners
– Forced to sell rights to their land to landlords– Became sharecroppers and serfs
THEME SYSTEM
Empire organized through the theme– A province under the control of a general
Generals responsible for military and civil affairs Directly responsible to the central government Allowed generals to raise armies quickly Theme allowed Byzantine Empire to control
southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean
The Byzantine Empire Empire organized through the theme
– A province under the control of a general• Generals responsible for military and civil affairs
• Directly responsible to the central government
• Allowed generals to raise armies quickly
• Theme allowed Byzantine Empire to control southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean
The Byzantine Empire
Urbanization– Constantinople was the largest city in Europe– Had the same sophistication as Rome
Bath, libraries, aqueducts, coliseums Chariot races popular
– Education widespread throughout the empire Basic literacy common through all classes Learning in Greek rather than Latin
CHRISTIAN IMPORTANCE Emperor as church leader Represents idea of Roman ruler
Represents idea of Jesus Christ
Patriarchs lead the church in Constantinople
Eventual split with Roman church in 1054
SCHISM---1054 Political dispute over the POPE and the
PATRIARCH Resentment over interference in ICON
dispute( are they sinful? ) Conflicts over translating Bible Marriage of priests Divorce Bread in communion-body and blood? Excommunicated each other
DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN DIPLOMACY
Political decisions by Economic sanctions
Marriage alliances
Threats
Spying
LAWS ORGANIZED
WOMEN’S RIGHTS EXPANDED
ARCHITECTURE FLOURISHED
OLD BOUNDARIES REGAINED
JUSTINIAN’S CODE
Organized, clarified, simplified laws; ordinances, court records, judgements, and precedents from a Christian POV (death penalty gone)
CORPUS JURIS CIVILIS
“Actress”
Strong sense of right and wrong
advised Justinian to put down boyars’ revolt
Men forbidden to beat wives
Women own goods and property
Widows raise children without outside interference
ARCHITECTURE Greek and Roman
techniques for: roads Public buildings Churches
HAGIA SOPHIA
impressed all who saw it
BLUE MOSQUEBLUE MOSQUE
HAGIA SOPHIAHAGIA SOPHIA
B E L I S A R I U SB E L I S A R I U S– Sent general Belisarius to
reclaim Italy, Sicily, northern Africa and Spain in 553 CE
– Much of the old Western Roman Empire reconquered by 565 CE
However, did not remain part of the Byzantine Empire for long
– Faced attacks from Slavs in the north and Persians in the east
WHAT ELSE The Byzantine Empire faced new pressures
from the rise of Islam– Islamic empire expanded to conquer Palestine,
Egypt, and north Africa– Muslims made two attempts to conquer
Constantinople (674-78, 717-18)
Unsuccessful because of Constantinople’s location Also because of “Greek fire”, a flamethrower
DECLINE AND COLLAPSE (1025-1453)
– Pressures from the West Normans took over southern Italy and
Sicily and challenged Byzantine control of the Mediterranean
The Crusades (1204)– Westerners stopped at Constantinople on
the way to Holy Land– Constantinople sacked by Westerners
PRESSURES FROM THE EAST
Expansion of Islam gradually shrinks empire– Battle of Manzikert (1071) deals heavy blow to the
Byzantines– Muslims gradually control Anatolia
Ottoman Turks conquer Constantinople in 1453– End of the Byzantine Empire
Influence of Byzantine Empire– Spread of Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe
St. Cyril brings Christianity to Russia– Russian states emerge influenced by Byzantine
culture and religion The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire