Mr. Millhouse AP World History Hebron High School Byzantine Empire Mr. Millhouse AP World History Hebron High School
Fall of the Roman Empire 164—Plague spreads through Rome 180—End of Pax Romana 300—Diocletian divides the Empire 313—Christianity tolerated 410—Visigoths sack Rome 455—Vandals sack Rome 476—Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Eastern Rome: A Survivor Society Constantine established the Eastern capital at Byzantium Constantinople Reasons for Survival Higher level of civilization Fewer nomadic invasions Geography Prosperous commerce
Justinian (527-565) Byzantine empire reached greatest size Wanted to rebuild Roman Empire Temporarily Re-conquered N. Africa, Italy and southern Spain Wife, Theodora, had considerable power Rebuilt Constantinople Hagia Sophia Justinian’s Code
Byzantine Empire under Justinian
Hagia Sophia
Threat of Islam Arab peoples conquered parts of Byzantium Prolonged sieges of Constantinople Byzantine survived partly because of "Greek fire" Imperial organization Government run by trained bureaucracy & army Theme System Provinces organized on a military basis Ruled by a general who ran army & civil bureaucracy Responsible for protecting peasants Aristocrats limited by army, emperor, & bureaucracy
Byzantine Empire
Constantinople “Second Rome” Key trading route linking Europe, Africa and Asia Buffer between Western Europe and Asia Europe’s busiest marketplace
Byzantine Economy Government prevented wealthy from seizing peasant’s land Free peasantry declined in the 11th century Craftsmen and merchants were respected Glassware & mosaics Thriving silk industry Monopolized by the government
Great Schism (1054) Byzantine emperors tended to combine political and religious authority Dispute over use of icons Iconoclasm—Attempt to suppress icon veneration in 8th c. Schism occurs in 1054 Final break over the type of bread used in the mass and the celibacy of priests Or was it?
Catholicism vs. Orthodox Western Europe Pope in Rome Priests practice celibacy Latin Language Most important holy day Christmas Eastern Europe Patriarch in Constantinople Clergy could marry Greek Language Most important holy day Easter
Effects of the Great Schism
Byzantine Culture Cultural Foundations Byzantine Education Christian beliefs Greek learning Roman engineering Byzantine Education State-organized schools Widespread literacy Chariot Races Blues vs. Greens Riot of 532
Byzantine Decline The long decline began in 11th century. Seljuk Turks seized most of the Asian provinces Remove an important source of taxes and food Crusaders, led by Venetian merchants, sacked Constantinople in 1204 A smaller empire struggled to survive for another two centuries In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople
Byzantine Challenges
Byzantine Empire
Rise of Russia Area inhabited by Slavs Vikings arrive using river system Set up state based on trade & conquest around 9th Century State founded by Rurik Capital at Kiev People called Rus
Russia & Christianity Prince Vladimir converted in 989 Converted for trade, commercial reasons Elites baptized by order of prince, often against will Served as conduit for spread of Byzantine culture, religion Cyrillic Alphabet
Kievan Rus “Third Rome” Decentralized government Divided into provinces Constant strife between boyars and princes Constant threat of nomadic invasion