1. 300 – 1453 C.E.

2. Map of Byzantine Empire (600 CE)

3. Constantine’s City-- Constantinopolis

4. Constantinople

5. The Reign of Justinian The height of the first period of Byzantine history (324-632) was the reign of Emperor Justinian (r. 537-565) and his wife Empress Theodora (d. 548)

6. The Imperial Goal: Unity Build Strong cities and reconquer lost lands. Create a single law code. Strengthen the Eastern church. One God One Empire One Religion

7. Extensive Building Plans Justinian was an ambitious builder. His greatest monument was the magnificent domed church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), which was constructed in just five years (532­37).

8. Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

9. Justinian’s Code Corpus Juris Civilis (body of civil law): 1. Digest 2. Code 3. Institutes

10. CHRISTIANS With Differences  West (Roman Catholic)  Pope in Rome  Latin Language  Most important holy day Christmas  East (Eastern Orthodox)  Patriarch in Constantinople  Clergy could marry  Greek Language  Most important holy day Easter

11.  Dispute over use of icons (Holy Images) contributed to split  Byzantine Emperor outlawed prayer to icons  Two branches of Christianity grew further apart  1054 provoked a permanent split between Byzantine, Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church  Iconoclasm – The breaking of images; religious controversy of the 8 th c. Byzantine emperor attempted, but failed to suppress icon veneration Great Schism (Split) 1054 CE

12. What Happened to the Byzantines?

13.  in 1204, the Crusaders attacked, conquered, and pillaged the city of Constantinople, a goal that the Muslims had been trying achieve for centuries

14.  In 1453, the city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and renamed Istanbul. Byzantine culture, law, and administration came to its final end.

15. 1. Throughout the early Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire remained a protective barrier between western Europe and hostile Persian, Arab, and Turkish armies. 2. The Byzantines were also a major conduit of classical learning and science into the West. 3. Served as a model of civilized society for the rest of Western Europe. Legacy of Byzantine Empire