BYZANTINE EMPIRE
BYZANTINE EMPIRE - BACKGROUND EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE ROMAN EMPIRE DIVIDED BY DIOCLETIAN 330 A.D.-CONSTANTINE MOVES CAPITAL FROM ROME TO BYZANTIUM – RENAMED CONSTANTINOPLE Diocletian Constantine
BYZANTINE RULERS Rulers had ABSOLUTE power Ruled with COMPLETE Authority No SEPARATION of Church & State
HEIGHT OF EMPIRE Under rule of Emperor JUSTINIAN 527-565 Built many new CHURCHES Most Important – HAGIA SOPHIA {“HOLY WISDOM”}
HAGIA SOPHIA “HOLY WISDOM”
HAGIA SOPHIA
HAGIA SOPHIA Construction started 532 – finished in 537 Church from 537 - 1453 Mosque from 1453 – 1931 Reopened as a Museum by Turkey in 1943 World’s largest cathedral until 1520 Designed by two Greek scientists
BUILDING PROGRAMS Constructed 14 mile stone wall along coastline Repaired Western Borders Built hospitals, aqueducts Schools, law courts Church Building
HIPPODROME ENTERTAINMENT for Citizens Free Entertainment CHARIOT RACES 60,000 SPECTATORS
HEIGHT OF EMPIRE 527-565 EMPEROR JUSTINIAN ACHIEVEMENTS: HAGIA SOPHIA REBUILT CITY HIPPODROME PRESERVE GRECO-ROMAN CULTURE JUSTINIAN CODE
JUSTINIAN CODE SINGLE UNIFORM CODE OF LAWS 4 PARTS: 1. CODE 2. DIGEST 3. INSTITURES 4. NOVELLAE
JUSTINIAN CODE Served Empire for 900 Years All different areas: MARRIAGE SLAVERY PROPERTY INHEIRITANCE WOMEN’S RIGHTS
EMPRESS THEODORA
DIVISION IN CHRISTIANITY Due to DISTANCE differences emerge LANGUAGE {East-Greek; West-Latin} Byzantine Emperor appointed – PATRIARCH {Leader of Christian Church in Eastern Empire} Head of Church in Western Empire – POPE {Byzantines did not believe POPE had authority}
DIVISION IN CHRISTIANITY Other DIVISIONS over time 1054 SCHISM ( permanent split ) West – ROMAN CATHOLIC East – EASTERN ORTHODOX
The Great Schism Explanation Video http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-great-schism-between-the-east-and-western-churches.html#lesson
BYZANTINE MISSIONARIES BYZANTINE influence in RUSSIA Saint Cyril – developed alphabet for Slavic Languages {CYRILLIC ALPHABET} Translate Bible into Slavic Language
END OF BYZANTINE EMPIRE Empire weakens after death of JUSTINIAN (565) RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES POOR LEADERS PLAGUE FOREIGN INVASIONS EMPIRE ENDS IN 1453 By the OTTOMANS