1. Heirs to Rome: The Byzantine Empire
Honors World History

2. What Was the Byzantine Empire?
Same thing as the Eastern Roman Empire
The capitol, Constantinople, was located at the Hellespont
Narrowest area b/t Asia & Europe
Imp. trade routes met there
North, to Russia/Vikings
South, to Anatolia/Middle East
East, to India/China
West, to Europe

3. Who Were They? To inhabitants, they were simply the Roman Empire
Emperors continued in unbroken succession from Caesar to Diocletian, Constantine and beyond
Statue of Octavian

4. Justinian I ( )
Introduced Law Code (“Codex Justinian”), a revision of old Roman laws, in Greek
Great general, Belisarius, helped recapture much of traditional Roman Empire (Italy, Africa, part of Spain)
Expansion of Byzantine Empire from start of Justinian’s rule to his death

5. Justinian I
Constructed the Hagia Sophia, the greatest Islamic worship center built east of Rome.

6. Justinian I
After death of Justinian, territory gained in West was quickly lost
Empire almost fell in late 500s
Persians reached Nile River & Bosphorus
Slavs overran the Balkans in Europe and laid siege to Constantinople itself

7. Byzantine Themes, ca 620 AD (yellow) and 900 AD (in pink)
Heraklius ( )
Savior of Empire
Considered abandoning Constantinople
Reforms
Gave soldiers land in frontier
Soldiers paid no taxes
Sons of soldiers = soldiers themselves
Reorganized provinces into themes, under control of General
Byzantine Themes, ca 620 AD (yellow) and 900 AD (in pink)

8. Heraklius Successes Rise of Islam put Byzantine Empire on the defense
Longest period of Byz. Empire success, creativity
Re-established Byz. Empire in Balkans
By 629 AD, recaptured most of ME (Jerusalem)
Rise of Islam put Byzantine Empire on the defense
Lost Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Africa by 700 AD

9. Byzantine Empire, 600-1025 Spread of Orthodox Christianity
Two monks, Cyril and Methodius, spread the Christian Orthodox faith into Balkans, Poland, & Russia
Introduced the Cyrillic Alphabet, to Russians (still use today)
Monks, scholars & artists followed, giving culture a distinct Byzantine flavor
Cyril and Methodius

10. Flash Forward several hundred Years, AND …..

11. Decline of the Byzantine Empire
Death of the emperor in 1025 led to conflict between military themes & civilian nobility in capital
By 1081, Byzantine Empire had been reduced to only Greece due to this civil war & pressure from Turks
Byzantine Empire, 1081

12. Decline of Byzantine Empire
1100s were a period of recovery for the Empire
Assisted by Western Crusaders, starting in 1097
Economy flourished
Artistic revival
Re-captured SE Europe

13. Fall of the Byzantine Empire
A weak ruler took throne in 1185
Emptied treasury for gifts, building churches
In 1204, the 4th Crusade sacked Constantinople (Crusaders / Venetians)
Led to fragmentation of empire (local states fought for local control)
Sack of Constantinople in 1453 by Ottomans (85k v. 7k defenders)
Crusaders enter Constantinople

14. Legacy of Byzantine Empire
Most (only!) stable state during European Middle Ages
Expert military& diplomacy saved Europe from Muslim invasion
Trade center brought many peoples into contact with one another
Transmission of classical knowledge from Islamic world to West helped bring about European Renaissance