Justinian and the Byzantine Empire

SSWH4 Analyze the importance of Justinian; include the influence of the Empress Theodora, Justinian’s Code, and Justinian’s efforts to recapture the west.

Reign of Justinian

 5 th century, Eastern Roman empire was centered around Constantinople  Justinian became emperor in 527/ determined to reestablish the Roman empire in the Mediterranean/ reached his goals by 552

Constantinople

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Life in Constantinople

Largest city in Europe in the Middle Ages  Based on trade until the 12 th greatest center of Commerce century/ Europe’s  During Justinian’s reign, silkworms were smuggled from China to begin a silk industry  Hagia Sophia = church of Holy Wisdom  Hippodrome = arena where gladiator fights & chariot races were held

Justinian and Theodora

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Justinian ruled as an autocrat with the help of Theodora . Created a huge Christian empire

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Empire reached its greatest size Autocrat – ruler who has complete authority

Justinian and Theodora

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Built Hagia Sophia

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Rebuilt the Hippodrome

Justinian and Theodora

  Justinian created the Body of Civil Law = code of Roman laws that was the basis of imperial law in Eastern Roman empire until its end in 1453

Aka Justinian’s Code

Justinian’s Code of Laws

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Laws were fairer to women. They could own property and raise their own children after their husbands died.

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Children allowed to choose their own marriage partners.

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Slavery was legal and slaves must obey their masters.

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Punishments were detailed and fit the crime

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His work inspired the modern concept and, indeed, the very spelling of "justice".

Emperor Justinian

Beginning of Byzantine Empire

 Justinian’s conquest left Eastern Roman empire with too much land to protect far from Constantinople  Arab Muslims were the biggest threat to Eastern Roman Empire  Islamic forces defeated an army of Eastern Roman at Yarmuk in 636 & lost Syria & Palestine  679, Bulgars defeated the Eastern Roman empire & took possession of the lower Danube Valley  8 th century, Eastern Roman empire was much smaller (Asia minor & eastern Balkans)

Byzantine Empire

 Both a Greek & Christian state  Greek replaced Latin as the official language  Christian church became known as Eastern Orthodox Church  Byzantine emperor controlled the church & the state  Emperor appointed the head of the church  Government & religious officials were all bound together in the service of a spiritual ideal

Byzantine Empire

 Macedonians ruled the Byzantine Empire from 876 1081  Macedonians expanded the empire  Expanded trade relations w/ Western Europe  Late 11 th century = lot of political & social disorder

Byzantine Art: Mosaics and Illuminated Manuscripts

Hagia Sophia

The End of the Byzantine Empire

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The Byzantine empire drew to a close in 1453 when forces from the Muslim Ottoman Empire surrounded and conquered Constantinople.

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The ancient Christian city was renamed Istanbul and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.