1. The Byzantine Empire

2. Terms—The Byzantine Empire
Constantinople (330 – 1453)
Justinian (r. 527 – 565)
Theodora
Belisarius
Procopius
Nika Riots (532—”Blues & Greens”)
Hagia Sophia (539)
Corpus Juris Civilis
Iconoclasm (Icons)

3. Byzantine Empire

4. 1422 Map Showing Fortifications

5. Constantinople

6. Walls of Constantinople

7. Romaioi Byzantines called themselves this—it means Romans.
They thought of themselves as “Romans”.

8. Justinian (r. 527 – 565)

9. Belisarius

10. Belisarius and Justinian

11. Byzantine Empire - 526

12. The Nika Riots (532) The “Blues” vs. the “Greens”
Chariot racing teams—united to fight Justinian
“Nika”– “Victory” 1

13. Theodora

14. The Hippodrome

15. Theodora and Her Retinue

16. Procopius –Official Court Historian

17. Hagia Sophia—”Church of Holy Wisdom”

18. Hagia Sophia

19. Hagia Sophia Today

20. Hagia Sophia - Dome

21. Hagia Sophia - Interior

22. Hagia Sophia - Interior

23. Corpus Juris Civilis--”The Body of Civil Law” (528 – 534)
Massive incorporation of Roman legal thought and precedents, all collected in one place in order to provide a coherent body of law for the Roman (i.e. Byzantine) Empire.
Written in Latin—allowed for easier translation in the West.
Basis of Byzantine law for the next 900 years
Used as the foundation of modern law by many of the kingdoms of Western Europe.
Most permanent and lasting legacy of Justinian’s rule.

24. Byzantine Empire - 565

25. Byzantine Empire Upon Justinian’s Death--565

26. Heraclius (r. 610 – 641)

27. Byzantine Empire in 668

28. Byzantine Empire in 1453

29. The Sack of Constantinople - 1453

30. Animated Map of Byzantine Empire

31. Lack of Unity in Empire: Religion
The pope claims religious pre-eminence
Patriarchs—each great city has one (religious leaders)
Patriarch of Constantinople disputes that the Pope is pre-eminent among the patriarchs
Byzantine emperor has both political and religious authority

32. Lack of Unity in Empire: Religion & Language
Chief language of the East: Greek
Chief language of the West: Latin

33. Marketplace in Constantinople

34. Iconoclasm Greek for “image-breaking” 8th and 9th centuries
Most devastating heresy to divide the Christian Church
The use of sacred images (icons) in worship

35. Icons

36. Iconoclasts Tried to stop the use of religious icons—unsuccessfully
Rejected the use of icons

37. The Church Divides
Western Branch: Roman Catholic (i.e. “universal”) Church
Eastern Branch: Eastern Orthodox (i.e. “correct belief”) Church