THE RISE OF THE BYZANTINES
The Eastern Roman Empire reached a high point in the 500s. Many people were found within this empire, such as; Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Persians, Slavs, and Turks.
WHY WAS CONSTANTINOPLE IMPORTANT?
Constantine's city, Constantinople, became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. One reason that Constantinople was such a success was because of its location. Its harbors offered a safe shelter for fishing boats, trading ships, and warships.Constantinople was easily defended since sea protected it on 3 sides and on the 4th a huge wall guarded the city. Invaders would have a hard time taking Constantinople.
HOW DID GREEK CULTURE INFLUENCE THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE?
Constantinople was first known as the "New Rome" because they decided to follow Roman ways. As time passed, the Byzantine Empire became less and less Roman and more Greek. Many people living in Byzantine spoke Greek and honored their Greek past. However, there were many people with all different cultures that blended together to form the Byzantine Empire. Between 500 and 1200, the Byzantine had one of the world's richest and advanced empires.
WHAT ROLE DID JUSTINIAN AND THEODORA PLAY IN THE BYZANTINE HISTORY?
Justinian was a strong leader, he controlled the military, made laws, and was supreme judge. Justinian's wife, Theodora, helped him run the empire. She was a former actress. She was also intelligent and strong-willed, and she helped Justinian choose government officials. Justinian took Theodora's advice when it came to staying and fighting against the angry taxpayers. He crushed the yprising.
WHAT WERE SOME OF JUSTINIAN'S CONQUESTS?
Justinian wanted to reunite the Roman Empire and bring back Rome's glory. He ordered a general named Belisarius to strengthen and lead the Byzantine army. The Byzantine army then began to rely on horses instead of being on foot. However, Justinian conquered too much land too quickly. After he died, the empire did not have the money to maintain an army large enough to hold the territory of the west.
WHY WAS JUSTINIAN'S LAW CODE IMPORTANT?
Justinian decided that the empire's laws were disorganized and too difficult to understand. He ordered legal scholars to reform the law code and name it the Justinian Code. Over the years, the Justinian Code has had a great influence on the laws of almost every country in Europe.
BYZANTINE CIVILIZATION
Byzantine lasted about 1,000 years and for much of it Constantinople was the largest and richest city in the Europe. They were highly educated and creative people. They preserved and passed on Greek culture and Roman laws to other people. They also spread Christianity to people in Eastern Europe.
WHY WAS TRADE IMPORTANT?
From Asia, ships and caravans brought luxury goods- spices, gems, metals, and cloth- to Constantinople. For these items, Byzantine merchants traded farm goods as well as fur, money, and enslaved people from northern Europe. All of these enormous trades made the Byzantine Empire very wealthy.
WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE?
Justinian highly supported artists and architects. Constantinople was known for its 1,000s of churches and palaces. One church named Hagia Sophia still stands today in Istanbul, Turkey.
WHAT ROLE DID WOMEN PLAY?
The family was the center for social life for most Byzantines. Religion and the government stressed the importance of marriage and family life. Most women were expected to stay at home and take care of the houses and family. However, women did gain some important rights, such as becoming well educated and involved in politics. A few even ruled the empire in their own right.
WHY WAS EDUCATION IMPORTANT?
Learning was highly respected and boys spent most of their time getting an education. Gils however, usually did not attend school and was taught at home. Most Byzantine authors wrote about religion. Without Byzantine copies, many important works from the ancient world would have disappeared forever.