Chap 12.1 Slides Flashcards
Where was a NEW ROME?
Constantinople: Eastern Roman Empire
What was the Empire called?
•Became known as Byzantine Empire
What was the significance of Constantinople?
- Remained capital of Eastern Empire long after Rome fell
- Even before fall of Rome, Constantinople larger, richer city than Rome
What was good about Constantinople’s location?
- Location helped control trade between Asia, Europe
- Also helped guard city from attack
–Sea protected city on two sides
Who made claim to empire?
Byzantine emperor Justinian I wanted to restore original Roman Empire
Who was Belisarius?
- 533, Justinian sent ships, troops to northern Africa
- Troops led by top general, Belisarius
How did Justinian I claim empire?
•Military action needed to accomplish his goal
•First had to reconquer North African territories taken by Germanic tribe, Vandals
How was Justinian I successful in capturing empire?
- By 534 recaptured African region, absorbed back into Roman Empire
- 535, Belisarius led troops to Italy to retake that region
What was the rebellion at home?
- Justinian and his wife Theodora served as co-rulers of empire
- Many resented Justinian’s efforts to reform empire
What was the Nika Revolt?
532, opposition led to rebellion called Nika Revolt
- Two factions led revolt: Greens representing lower classes, Blues upper classes
- Justinian prepared to flee
- Theodora stood firm, refused to flee, convinced Justinian to do same
- Belisarius attacked rioters, slaughtered them by thousands
What was Achievement in Constantinople after Nika Revolt?
- Nika Revolt destroyed parts of Constantinople
- Rebuilt city with new monuments
What was the most famous building?
Most important new building, church, Hagia Sophia, “Holy Wisdom
What was Justinian’s Code?
- Justinian set up commission that codified empire’s existing laws
- Corpus Juris Civilis had four parts; first part included all existing constitutions from time of Emperor Hadrian
- Code later updated, expanded to include Justinian’s laws as well
What were the 2 institutions central to Byzantine culture?
Two institutions central to Byzantine culture
emperor, Christianity
What was Role of the Emperor in Byzantine Culture?
- Emperor, priest-king, considered representative of Jesus Christ on earth
- Emperor responsible for both civil, religious law
What brought End to Roman Traditions?
- Emperor Heraclius brought official end to Roman traditions
- Made Greek official language, replacing Latin
Replaced old Roman imperial titles with Greek ones
What was the great influence on Byzantine art?
- Christianity greatly influenced artistic life
- Art, architecture, literature based on religious themes
- Byzantine art often featured saints, figures from Bible
Most Byzantine art was in the form of __________
- Most art in form of mosaics
- Mosaics decorated floors, walls, ceilings
What was unique about Byzantine architecture?
- Religion force behind Byzantine architecture;
- churches built by placing round dome over square foundation
What were Changes after Justinian?
–Died 565, left government nearly bankrupt from expenses of taking back empire’s territory
–Had expanded empire beyond what government could administer
– Western provinces fell after his death
Who ruled after Justinian?
–Reign of Heraclius began 610
–Heraclius defeated Persians on eastern border
–Croats, Serbs converted to Christianity, extending Byzantine influence into region
What were the Religious Conflicts in the 700s?
In the 700s the use of art in churches deeply divided society, Controversy over the use of icons—paintings or sculptures of sacred figures
What was the Controversy over icons?
- Churches contained beautiful icons
- Some Christians believed too close to non-Christian worship of idols
- People called iconoclasts, “icon breaker
Why was the religious conflict over icons important?
The dispute played a crucial role in the growing divide between the emperor in Constantinople and the pope in Rome.
What did Emperor Leo III forbid in 726?
- 726, Emperor Leo III forbade use of icons, ordered destruction
- Since few could read, clergy found sacred images useful for teaching
What were the Growing Divisions in the church?
- Many issues divided eastern, western churches
- Use of Greek one difference; theological differences also emerged
- Eastern church allowed clergy to marry, western church did not
What was the Byzantines’ attitude?
•Byzantines did not accept pope as supreme authority over religious issues
What did the church differences lead to?
What formed?
Was this good for the Bysantines?
Schism
- 1054, differences became so large, schism, split, occurred between churches
- Church in east became Orthodox Church, west remained Roman Catholic
- Later hurt Byzantine Empire, could not rely on western help against invaders
What brought on the decline of the Byzantine Empire?
Clash between the military and the Constantinople government weakened the empire, making it vulnerable from the outside
What new enemies emerged?
What happened to Byzantine Empire?
- 1071, Turks defeated Byzantine army, permanently weakened Byzantines in eastern Asia Minor
- Same year, also lost last outposts in Italy, ending presence in west
- By 1391, empire reduced to Constantinople
In 1453, what did Constantinople fall to?
- 1453, Constantinople fell to Ottoman Turks
- Turks renamed city Istanbul; Hagia Sophia became mosque
What was the Byzantine Legacy?
- Ottomans had gained importance, spread influence into Greece
- Byzantine legacy:
- preservation of ancient Greco-Roman heritage;
- buffer between Christian West, Muslim East
