1. Welcome to the Byzantine Empire
After the Western Roman Empire fell to German barbarian invasions in the 5th century, the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople, repelled the invasions and went on to survive for 1000 more years, preserving and spreading the culture of ancient
Greeks and Romans
Welcome to the Byzantine Empire

2. Constantinople: A Strategic City Where Europe & Asia Meet

3. Located on a peninsula that overlooked the Bosporus Strait
Controlled movement between Med. & Black Seas
Key trade center between East & West

4. The Golden Horn Natural protection from invaders: water on 3 sides
Triple Walls fortified open side

5. Justinian and Theodora
Justinian was a 6th century Byzantine Emperor considered one if its greatest rulers & his wife Theodora was very influential in his reign
Theodora was concerned with improving the social standing of women; urged Justinian to give women more rights
Theodora urged Justinian not to flee when taxpayers revolted (Nika Rebellion)
Justinian stayed and his army crushed the rebels

6. Theodora & Her Attendants

7. Justinian and His Attendants

8. Belasarius Expands Empire
Belasarius was a peasant with little military experience
He was a friend of Theodora’s.
Led the troops that crushed Nika Rebellion
Appointed general of Byzantine armies which fought a series of wars against the Vandals, Ostrogoths & Visigoths
Byzantines conquered these Germanic groups and extended their rule in the west

9. Conflict in the Christian Church
Argument over use of icons (religious images) in worship
AD 726 Emperor Leo III ordered all icons removed from churches b/c he believed they encouraged superstition and the worship of idols
Emperor’s supporters known as iconoclasts (image breakers)

10. Church leaders resisted order and were supported by the Roman Pope
Christian church in east and west argued over source of religious authority
Pope in Rome said he was supreme leader of church
Patriarch of Constantinople opposed this claim
Eventually led to a schism (separation) in 1054
Roman Catholic Church in West and Eastern Orthodox Church in East

11. Byzantine Art Glorified religion Icons in homes, churches & shrines
Mosaics - pictures made of many tiny pieces of colored glass or flat stone set in plaster
Illuminated manuscript
Subjects of Byzantine art appeared stiff and artificial with calm, meditative faces to inspire reverence

13. Byzantine Architecture
Greatest form of Byzantine art
Greatest masterpiece is church of Hagia Sophia, meaning “holy wisdom”
Huge building in form of a cross; includes murals, mosaics, stone carvings and insets of ivory, silver and jewels
Capped by huge dome that rests on massive columns

14. Hagia Sophia

15. Inside
Hagia
Sophia

16. Justinian’s Code Justinian had Roman laws codified and classified
Omits repetitions, inconsistencies, and statutes dealing with Roman religion
Preserved Rome’s legal heritage and later became the basis for most European legal systems

17. Justinian’s Accomplishments
Expanded the Empire
Created Justinian’s Code
Commissioned rebuilding of Hagia Sophia
Helped spread Christianity
Increased women’s rights

18. Fall of Constantinople
Ottoman Turks from central Asia attacked the Eastern provinces
In AD 1453 the Ottomans laid siege to Constantinople

19. Byzantine Contributions
Codified Roman law- Under the emperor Justinian, legal experts collected and arranged Roman law.
Preserved Ancient Greek Civilization- the Byzantines had more in common with the Greeks than they did the Romans. They spoke Greek, and not Latin.
Shielded Western Europe from Islamic Invaders. This above all else is the greatest accomplishment of the Byzantines. Why is this so significant?