Life in Byzantium
Chapter 9 (2 of 4)
Byzantine Military
Like Romans, Byzantines
recruited local soldiers, and
rewarded them with land
Overall, military
successful in stopping
invaders from getting into Europe until
the 1400s
Byzantine Politics
Byzantines had one of largest
bureaucracies ever
Emperor was the head of the church
and the state
Women had considerable
influence (example Empress Theodora)
Similar political system to earlier
Chinese dynasties
The Byzantine Bureaucracy• Emperor chose regional
governors to help rule (had spies to ensure loyalty)
• Bureaucrats were highly educated in Greek classics
• Came from all social classes (mostly aristocrats, but talented poor people could rise)
• This bureaucracy was longest-lived single government ever in the Mediterranean
Government in Control
The bureaucracy (government) was
very much in control (regulated
trade and food prices)
Unfortunately, this hurt the many
peasant farmers, who saw prices for
crops drop and taxes rise
Government kept food prices low so
the poor in Constantinople and other cities would not get upset and riot
The Silk Road
Constantinople grew b/c along Silk Road
Byzantines smuggled in silkworm cocoons and
soon made own silk
Constantinople
Byzantines traded extensively
Traded w/western Europe, Africa, Asia
Also had north-south trade with Scandinavia and
Russia
Culture – It’s All Greek To Me
Secular Byzantine culture (that means culture away from the
church) based on Greek culture
This Greek (or Hellenistic) culture was blended with Eastern Orthodox
religious culture
Not a lot of cultural innovation, mostly preserved Greek culture
Social Gap
Empire large and diverse, which
led to wide gaps in social classes
Church patriarch (leader) burnt biography of a
saint b/c written by a peasant
Icon Painting• Byzantine were
big on icons
• Icon – artistic representations of religious figures
Icon Painting• Mulsims criticized
Byzantines as icon worshippers
• Emperor wanted to prove not true, and tried removing all icons
• Big backlash from Church over this censorship, and emperor let icons stay
Split Growing Between East and West Europe
Western Europe = Catholic
Eastern Europe = Orthodox
Byzantines Dislike Pope’s Influence
Byzantine (east)
emperors were in
charge of the church
Didn’t want to lose
power to the Pope;
Byzantine rulers
recognized the Pope, but still
controlled church
Schism Happens (1054)
See reading from class for more details
Pope in Italy (West) sends Cardinal
Humbert to Constantinople (East)
and an argument ensues which results
in the official split between the
churches
Western Europe = Catholic
Eastern Europe = Eastern Orthodox
At the time of the schism (or split),
eastern Europe was more advanced than western Europe, but
the West soon surpassed the East
The Great Schism of 1054– Eastern Greek Orthodox
Church• Based in Constantinople• Official language – Greek• Church led by a Patriarch
referred to as a Bishop• Bishops couldn’t marry.• Priests could marry.• Scriptures were the final
authority on all matters.• Emperor or political ruler
was above the Bishop.
– Roman Catholic Church• Based in Rome• Official language – Latin• Church led by a Pope
referred to as Father.• Church leaders could not
marry.• Only Pope and Bishops
could interpret the scriptures.
• The Pope was the Supreme head of Church - above any political ruler.
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