The Roman Empire Divided in 294

The Roman Empire Divided in 294

Constantine’s City--Constantinopolis

Constantine’s City--Constantinopolis

Barbarian Invasions of the Roman Empire

Barbarian Invasions of the Roman Empire

Constantinople: A Greek City

(Istanbul Today)

Constantinople: A Greek City

(Istanbul Today)

Constantinople

Sunset on the “Golden Horn”Sunset on the “Golden Horn”

Overview: Byzantine EmpireOverview: Byzantine Empire

• Capital: ByzantiumCapital: Byzantium

• On the BosporusOn the Bosporus

• Commercial, strategic value of locationCommercial, strategic value of location

• Constantine names capital after himself Constantine names capital after himself (Constantinople), moves capital there 330 (Constantinople), moves capital there 330 CECE

• 1453 falls to Turks, renamed Istanbul1453 falls to Turks, renamed Istanbul

The Later Roman Empire and The Later Roman Empire and ByzantiumByzantium

• Byzantine Empire inherits Roman Byzantine Empire inherits Roman Empire after fall of Rome in 5Empire after fall of Rome in 5thth c. CE c. CE– preserved Greco-Roman culture preserved Greco-Roman culture

and advancementsand advancements

• Eastern territories remain major power Eastern territories remain major power until 13until 13thth c. CE c. CE

The Later Roman EmpireThe Later Roman Empire

• Roman infrastructure in place in East – Roman infrastructure in place in East – even though West crumbledeven though West crumbled– Roads, institutional hierarchiesRoads, institutional hierarchies

• Challenges: Persian empire (Sassanid Challenges: Persian empire (Sassanid dynasty) & Germanic peoplesdynasty) & Germanic peoples

CaesaropapismCaesaropapism

• Emperor w/aura of divinity – divine Emperor w/aura of divinity – divine authorityauthority

• Centralized power (political & religious)Centralized power (political & religious)

• Authority absoluteAuthority absolute

• Byzantine bureaucracyByzantine bureaucracy

The Byzantine Court – Don’t The Byzantine Court – Don’t WriteWrite

• Etiquette reinforces authority of Etiquette reinforces authority of EmperorEmperor– Royal purpleRoyal purple– ProstrationProstration– Mechanical devices designed to inspire Mechanical devices designed to inspire

aweawe

Emperor Justinian [r. 527-564]

Emperor Justinian [r. 527-564]

Empress TheodoraEmpress Theodora

Mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora and her retinue, from

Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna

Justinian (527-565 CE)Justinian (527-565 CE)

• The The ““sleepless emperorsleepless emperor””

• Wife Theodora as advisorWife Theodora as advisor

• Rebuilt ConstantinopleRebuilt Constantinople– Church of Hagia SophiaChurch of Hagia Sophia

• Codification of Roman LawCodification of Roman Law– JustinianJustinian’’s Codes Code

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

The Hagia SophiaThe Hagia Sophia

Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom]

Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom]

Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

The Hagia SophiaThe Hagia Sophia

Justinian’s CodeJustinian’s Code

Corpus Juris Civilis: 1. Digest 2. Code 3. Institutes 

Byzantine & Sassanid Empires, 6c

Byzantine & Sassanid Empires, 6c

6c Arabia

:

A Threat

to the

Great

Empires

6c Arabia

:

A Threat

to the

Great

Empires

????

The Byzantine Empire and its neighbors The Byzantine Empire and its neighbors 527-554 CE527-554 CE

Islamic Conquests and Islamic Conquests and Byzantine RevivalByzantine Revival

• 77thth century Arab Muslim expansion century Arab Muslim expansion

• Besieged Byzantium 674-678, 717-718Besieged Byzantium 674-678, 717-718

• Defense made possible through use of Defense made possible through use of a weapon a weapon ““Greek fireGreek fire””

Imperial OrganizationImperial Organization

• ThemesThemes (provinces) under control of (provinces) under control of generalsgenerals

• Military administrationMilitary administration• Control from central imperial governmentControl from central imperial government• Soldiers from peasant class, rewarded Soldiers from peasant class, rewarded

with land grantswith land grants

Tensions with Western EuropeTensions with Western Europe

• ChurchChurch– Byzantine: Greek; Roman: LatinByzantine: Greek; Roman: Latin– Conflicts over hierarchical controlConflicts over hierarchical control

• Fealty of Germanic peoplesFealty of Germanic peoples– Roman pope crowns Charlemagne in 800, Roman pope crowns Charlemagne in 800,

a challenge to Byzantine authoritya challenge to Byzantine authority

Byzantine Economy and Byzantine Economy and SocietySociety

• Constantinople largest city in Europe, 5Constantinople largest city in Europe, 5 thth-13-13thth c.c.

• Dependent on small landholders, free Dependent on small landholders, free peasantspeasants

• Earlier large landholdings destroyed by Earlier large landholdings destroyed by invasions in 6invasions in 6thth-7-7thth centuries centuries

• ThemeTheme system rewards soldiers with land system rewards soldiers with land grantsgrants

Decline of the Free Decline of the Free PeasantryPeasantry

• Despite economic and social benefits of Despite economic and social benefits of small peasants landholdings, large small peasants landholdings, large landholdings on the increaselandholdings on the increase

• Reduces tax revenues, recruits to Reduces tax revenues, recruits to militarymilitary

• Last three centuries indicate steady Last three centuries indicate steady decline of economydecline of economy

Manufacturing and TradeManufacturing and Trade

• Trade routes bring key technologies, Trade routes bring key technologies, e.g. silk industrye.g. silk industry

• Advantage of location causes crafts and Advantage of location causes crafts and industry to expand after 6industry to expand after 6thth century century

• Tax revenues from silk routeTax revenues from silk route

• Banking services developBanking services develop

Urban LifeUrban Life

• Aristocrats: palaces; artisans: Aristocrats: palaces; artisans: apartments; working poor: communal apartments; working poor: communal living spacesliving spaces

• HippodromeHippodrome– Chariot races, Chariot races, ““greens vs. bluesgreens vs. blues””– Politically inspired riotingPolitically inspired rioting

• Role of Theodora & JustinianRole of Theodora & Justinian

““Whether or not a woman should give an Whether or not a woman should give an example of courage to men, is neither example of courage to men, is neither here nor there…At a moment of here nor there…At a moment of desperate danger, one must do what one desperate danger, one must do what one can…If flight were the only means of can…If flight were the only means of safety, still I would not flee. Those who safety, still I would not flee. Those who have worn the crown should never have worn the crown should never survive its loss…Emperor, if you wish to survive its loss…Emperor, if you wish to flee, well and good, you have the money, flee, well and good, you have the money, the ships are ready, the sea is clear. But the ships are ready, the sea is clear. But I shall stay. I accept the ancient proverb: I shall stay. I accept the ancient proverb: Royal purple is the best burial sheet.Royal purple is the best burial sheet.””

Theodora, AD 532Theodora, AD 532

Tensions with Western EuropeTensions with Western Europe

• ChurchChurch– Byzantine: Greek; Roman: LatinByzantine: Greek; Roman: Latin– Conflicts over hierarchical controlConflicts over hierarchical control

• Fealty of Germanic peoplesFealty of Germanic peoples– Roman pope crowns Charlemagne in 800, Roman pope crowns Charlemagne in 800,

a challenge to Byzantine authoritya challenge to Byzantine authority

Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox Christianity

• Legacy of Classical GreeceLegacy of Classical Greece– Greek replaces Latin after 6Greek replaces Latin after 6 thth c. CE; c. CE;

language of New Testamentlanguage of New Testament

• Byzantine education sponsors Byzantine education sponsors development of large literate class for development of large literate class for state bureaucracystate bureaucracy– Training in classical canonTraining in classical canon

The Byzantine ChurchThe Byzantine Church• By 6By 6thth C. Christianity is the dominant cultural C. Christianity is the dominant cultural

communitycommunity• Church and state closely alignedChurch and state closely aligned• Council of Nicea (325) bans Arian Council of Nicea (325) bans Arian

movementmovement– Human/divine nature of JesusHuman/divine nature of Jesus– Constantine favors Arians, but supports Nicean Constantine favors Arians, but supports Nicean

condemnationcondemnation

• Byzantine Emperors appoint patriarchsByzantine Emperors appoint patriarchs• Caesaropapism creates dissent in churchCaesaropapism creates dissent in church

IconoclasmIconoclasm

• Emperor Leo III (r. 717-741 CE)Emperor Leo III (r. 717-741 CE)

• Icons seen as a heresyIcons seen as a heresy

• Destruction of icons after 726 CEDestruction of icons after 726 CE

• Popular protest, riotingPopular protest, rioting

• Policy abandoned 843 CEPolicy abandoned 843 CE

Greek Philosophy and Greek Philosophy and Byzantine TheologyByzantine Theology

• Attempt to reconcile Greek philosophy Attempt to reconcile Greek philosophy with Judeo-Christianitywith Judeo-Christianity

• Constantine establishes school to apply Constantine establishes school to apply philosophical methods to religious philosophical methods to religious questionsquestions

AscetismAscetism

• Hermit-like existenceHermit-like existence

• CelibacyCelibacy

• FastingFasting

• PrayerPrayer

• St. Simeon StyliteSt. Simeon Stylite– Lived atop pillar for 37 Lived atop pillar for 37

years in Syriayears in Syria

Byzantine Monasticism Byzantine Monasticism and St. Basil (329-379 CE)and St. Basil (329-379 CE)

• Patriarch of Constantinople reforms Patriarch of Constantinople reforms monasteriesmonasteries– Communal livingCommunal living– Hierarchical structureHierarchical structure

• Mt. AthosMt. Athos– No women, female animals allowedNo women, female animals allowed– Currently a World Heritage Site, is home to 20 Currently a World Heritage Site, is home to 20

Eastern Orthodox monasteries Eastern Orthodox monasteries

The church at the Monastery of Great Lavra was the first monastery built on Mount Athos in 963.

Tensions between Eastern and Tensions between Eastern and Western ChristianityWestern Christianity

• Ritual disputesRitual disputes– Beards on clergyBeards on clergy– Leavened bread for MassLeavened bread for Mass– Right for clergy to marry (West - yes, East - no)Right for clergy to marry (West - yes, East - no)– Services in Latin in West, Greek in EastServices in Latin in West, Greek in East

• Theological disputesTheological disputes– IconoclasmIconoclasm– Nature of the TrinityNature of the Trinity

SchismSchism

• Arguments over hierarchy, jurisdictionArguments over hierarchy, jurisdiction• Autonomy of Patriarchs, or Primacy of Autonomy of Patriarchs, or Primacy of

Rome?Rome?• 1054 Patriarch of Constantinople and 1054 Patriarch of Constantinople and

Pope of Rome excommunicate each Pope of Rome excommunicate each otherother– East: Orthodox ChurchEast: Orthodox Church– West: Roman CatholicWest: Roman Catholic

Social Problems in the Social Problems in the Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire

• Generals of Generals of themes themes become allied with become allied with local aristocratslocal aristocrats– Intermarry, create class of eliteIntermarry, create class of elite

• Occasional rebellions vs. Imperial RuleOccasional rebellions vs. Imperial Rule

Challenges from the WestChallenges from the West

• Western European economic Western European economic developmentdevelopment

• Normans from Scandinavia press on Normans from Scandinavia press on Byzantine territoriesByzantine territories

• Crusades of 12Crusades of 12thth-13-13thth centuries rampage centuries rampage through Byzantine territorythrough Byzantine territory– Constantinople sacked, 1204Constantinople sacked, 1204

Challenges from the EastChallenges from the East

• Muslim Saljuqs invade AnatoliaMuslim Saljuqs invade Anatolia– Threatens grain supplyThreatens grain supply

• Defeat Byzantine army in 1071, creates Defeat Byzantine army in 1071, creates civil conflictcivil conflict

• Period of steady decline until Ottoman Period of steady decline until Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople in 1453Turks capture Constantinople in 1453– Renamed IstanbulRenamed Istanbul

The Byzantine empire and its neighbors The Byzantine empire and its neighbors about 1100 CEabout 1100 CE

Influence on Slavic CulturesInfluence on Slavic Cultures

• Relations from 6Relations from 6thth c. CE c. CE

• Bulgaria influenced culturally, politicallyBulgaria influenced culturally, politically

• Saints Cyril and MethodiusSaints Cyril and Methodius– Create Cyrillic alphabetCreate Cyrillic alphabet

• Slavic lands develop orientation to Slavic lands develop orientation to ByzantiumByzantium

Kievan RusKievan Rus

• Conversion of Prince Vladimir, 989 CEConversion of Prince Vladimir, 989 CE• Byzantine culture influences Byzantine culture influences

development of Slavic culturesdevelopment of Slavic cultures• Distinctively Slavic Orthodox church Distinctively Slavic Orthodox church

developsdevelops• Eventual heir to ByzantiumEventual heir to Byzantium

St. Sophia CathedralSt. Sophia Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral and Spasskaya Tower of Kremlin, Red Square, Moscow

Kievan RussiaKievan Russia