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Origins Surviving eastern half of Roman Empire Byzantine rulers saw themselves as Roman emperors

Origins Surviving eastern half of Roman Empire Byzantine rulers saw themselves as Roman emperors Constantinople founded by Constantine on site of Greek colony of Byzantium. Constantine. Early Byzantine Period From 324 CE to 842 CE Emperor Justinian I Empress Theodora

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Origins Surviving eastern half of Roman Empire Byzantine rulers saw themselves as Roman emperors

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  1. Origins • Surviving eastern half of Roman Empire • Byzantine rulers saw themselves as Roman emperors • Constantinople founded by Constantine on site of Greek colony of Byzantium Constantine

  2. Early Byzantine Period • From 324 CE to 842 CE • Emperor Justinian I • Empress Theodora • General Belisarius and reconquest of empire – peak of territory • Codification of Roman law Emperor Justinian and Theodora

  3. The Middle Byzantine Period • 843-1081 CE • Golden Age • Extended power over Middle Eastern lands previously lost to Muslims • Use of secret weapons such as Greek Fire • Byzantine court life adopted by other rulers • Period of wealth and military strength Greek Fire in action

  4. The Crusades Period • 1081-1204 CE • Emperor Alexius Comnenus • Call to West for help versus Seljuk Turks • Constantinople base for operations • Dislike between Western “Barbarians” and Byzantine “Sissies” • Sack of Constantinople 1204 – Fourth Crusade

  5. Byzantine Decline • 1261-1453 • Empire restored to Byzantine control • Territories lost to Ottoman Turks • Commerce dominated by Italian city-states of Venice and Genoa • The Black Death in 1300’s • 1453 - Constantinople fell to Ottoman Turks Ottoman ruler, Mehmet II, directs the attack on Constantinople

  6. Byzantine Empire – Animated Map

  7. Hellenic – from the Greek word “Hellenes” The Greek word for “Greece”

  8. Constantinople - The fortified capital of the Byzantine Empire

  9. External threats: • Sassanid Empire • Huns • Germanic tribes • Muslims • Venice Attila the Hun

  10. The Emperor • Byzantine rulers wielded absolute power – “divinely” appointed • Early emperors elected to office by the Senate, the army, and the people • Dynasties and co-emperors • Pomp and ceremony used to awe diplomats

  11. Byzantine Government • Logothesia- government ministers that ran day-to-day administration • Imperial Senate- advised the emperor and provided a pool for higher appointments • Eunuchs- held positions closest to the emperor • High Chamberlain- chief of the Eunuchs

  12. Byzantine Bureaucracy • Goal to expand Byzantine influence and protect the empire through vassal states • Logothete of the Dromus- • Spied on foreign ambassadors / visitors • Kept notes on strengths / weaknesses of other nations

  13. Byzantine Bureaucracy • Byzantine ambassadors spied on the nations to which they were posted • Bribes were used to buy off enemies and pay enemies of friendly states to keep those states off-balance • “Stables” of potential heirs to foreign thrones were maintained for possible use • What does the word “byzantine” mean today? Why?

  14. The Family • Oldest male dominated the household • Unlike Rome, children were protected from incest, and could not be sold or abandoned • Parents were required by law to find spouses for children • Childlessness was viewed by society as a disaster

  15. Upper-class children were educated • Lower-class children received little to no education • The primary duty of a woman was to marry, bear children, and run the household • Marriage contracts agreed upon disposition of property • Women could inherit and dispose of property in any way they wished

  16. Upper-class females were secluded and veiled • Seclusion extended into the home itself • Women had their own quarters surrounded by slaves and servants (her gynaeceum) • If women ventured outside the home she was accompanied by her gynaeceum • Very few women were educated

  17. Byzantine Art • Roman architectural traditions • Hagia Sophia • Mosaics • The Icon

  18. Iconoclasm • Initiated by Emperor Leo the Isaurian and son, Emperor Constantine V • Eighth century • Worship of icons seen as idolatry • Appropriation of Church wealth by emperor • Destruction of Byzantine art form • Back to status quo in ninth century Icon of Madonna and Child

  19. Effects of Iconoclasm on the West • Iconoclasm damaged relations between Byzantines and Christian West - Pope against iconoclastic movement • Western Christianity turned away from Byzantines and to the Franks for support Icon of Mother and Child

  20. Byzantine Religion • Emperor chosen by God – head of Church • Patriarch – highest Church official • First Christian monasteries • 1054 - Papal claims to primacy led to split of Church creating Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches

  21. Byzantine Religion • Orthodox missionaries converted Slavs in Balkans, Ukraine, and Russia • Saint Cyril developed Cyrillic alphabet for Slavs Saint Cyril

  22. The Byzantine Economy • Center of trade – location • Trade routes • Mediterranean • Silk Road • Black Sea • Russian The Byzantine Nomisma

  23. Government influence on industry • Silk industry • Concessions to foreign merchants • Competitors • Venice • Genoa – Genoese coins supplanted Byzantine Nomisma Byzantine silk found in tomb of Charlemagne

  24. Byzantines: Roman or Greek? • Greek replaced Latin as state language around 610 CE with ascension of Emperor Heraclius (Greek) • Subsequent emperors ethnically Greek • Chariot races • Baths • Emphasis on bureaucracy • Roman law • Center of Christianity in East Chariot races in the Hippodrome

  25. Impact of Byzantines on Neighbors • Societies most influenced were Balkans, Ukraine, and Russia • Byzantine religion, art, architecture, and court life were adopted • Russia adopted Byzantine double-headed eagle as royal symbol • Russian rulers adopted title of “Caesar” (Tsar) • Russia considered itself “The Third Rome” and heir to the Byzantines after the fall of Constantinople

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