F ROM R OME TO B YZANTIUM

G REECE & R OME 168 BC Battle of Pydna (  Macedonia becomes a Roman prefecture) 146 BC Battle of Lefkopetra (  the whole Greece is conquered by the Romans) 133 BC The Kingdom of Pergamum is devised to the Roman Empire by Attalus the 3 rd by his testament Greece becomes a part of Imperium Romanorum

T HE R OMANS AND THEIR EMPIRE

R OMAN OR BYZANTINE EMPIRE ? The term “Byzantine Empire” was NEVER used by the “Byzantines”. Hieronymus Wolf used the term for the 1 st time in 1562 AD. Byzantium was actually the state which continued the Roman Empire. The most powerful leaders in the east or the west part of the Empire claimed for themselves the title “King of the Roman Empire”. The basic structure and functions of the Byzantine Empire were based on those of its Roman ancestor.

T HE BEGINNING OF B YZANTINE HISTORICAL PERIOD o 293 AD Diocletian divides the Roman Empire in two and then (301 AD) in four administrative areas, governed by two Caesars and two Augusts (“tetrarchy”). o 312 AD Constantine (the Great) becomes the August of the West Roman Empire o 324 AD Constantine becomes the only leader of the Roman Empire  Byzantine Historical Period begins

T HE “N EW R OME ” 330 AD The capital of the Roman Empire is transferred from Rome to Byzantium and a new city is built there: Constantinople (= the city of Constantine) The new capital city was: o nearer the east borders of the Empire, where there were dangerous enemies o located on a very significant geographical point o not related to the persecutions of the Christians

T HE NEW PROFILE The profile of the “new” Empire was based on the following elements: o the Roman political tradition (law, administration, etc) o the Christian faith (that constantly became stronger) o Greek culture (philosophy, art, science, etc.)

T HE INCREASE OF THE C HRISTIAN & G REEK INFLUENCE The Christian religion was no more persecuted (since 313 AD) and became the official religion of the Empire by Theodosius the Great in 381 AD. Latin was the official language of the Empire, but Greek was the language of the educated and the Church and was spoken by the inhabitants of the whole East Empire (“Koine”). Some official documents were also written in Greek since the 4 th century AD (although Latin was still the official language) and the use of Greek language finally became official in the end of the 6 th century AD.

E ASTERN & W ESTERN EMPIRE 395 AD Division of the Empire into the Eastern (Arcadius) & Western (Onorius) part The Eastern Empire now is limited in an area with strong Greek and Christian character.

T HE WEST ROMAN EMPIRE 4 th century AD Emigration of the Huns to the West  Immigration of German tribes westwards 476 AD End of the West Roman Empire, because of its conquest by the Goths  Division to many different states, inhabited by German tribes

T HE J USTINIAN AGE (6 TH CENTURY AD) Achievement of “reconquista” (= re- conquest) The Empire regains almost all its lost regions in the West and the East

T HE J USTINIAN AGE (6 TH CENTURY AD) Systematic codification of the laws (Corpus Iuris Civilis), which became the base of the later European law- systems Laws written from the beginning in the Greek language (“Neares”) Serious attempt to confront the feudalists (“dynatoi”)

A GIA S OFIA ’ S CHURCH AD Building of Agia Sofia ‘s Basilica by Anthemios & Isidoros in Constantinople

A GIA S OFIA ’ S CHURCH