UNIT 6 – THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND ISLAMIC CIVILIZATIONChapter 14 –The Byzantine Empire (Vocabulary & Notes)

Key Terms (Vocabulary):Section 1:

1. Byzantine - word used by historians to describe the eastern Roman empire after the fall of he western Roman empire

2. strait - narrow body of water that cuts through land connecting two larger bodies of water

3. moat - trench filled with water as part of a fortification

4. Greek fire - a chemical mixture that burned in water which was used by the Byzantine empire against enemy ships

Section 2:5. creed - statement of beliefs6. icon - a holy image, usually a portrait of Jesus or a

saint7. iconoclast - “image-breaker” person who opposed the

use of icons in Christian worship8. pope - leader of the Roman Catholic Church9. Great Schism - split between the Eastern Orthodox and

Roman Catholic churches in 1054

Section 3:10.Justinian’s Code - a law code published by the Byzantine

emperor Justinian11.missionary - someone who tries to convert others to a

particular religion12.Cyrillic alphabet - alphabet used mostly for Slavic languages

such as Russian and Bulgarian, as well as for other languages

Section 1 –Survival of the Eastern EmpireObj: Students will know the importance of geography and leadership to the Byzantine empire; advantages of Constantinople for defense and trade; students will be able to analyze effects of geography and leadership of the Byzantine empire; categorize geographic features as advantages for trade and defenseExpectations: In this section, students will read “Survival of the Eastern Empire”; identify advantages Constantinople had for defense and trade, and apply the in locating an imagined city; go “On Assignment” in the Byzantine empire and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

Now known as the Byzantine empire, the eastern half of he Roman empire survived until AD 1453

The emperor Justinian tried to reconquer areas of the western Roman empire that had been lost

The Byzantine empire declined slowly as parts of it were conquered by Slavs, Arabs, and Turks

Chapter 14 – Section 1 – Survival of the Eastern EmpireBy the year AD 500, the western Roman empire had collapsed. But the eastern Roman empire lasted almost one thousand years more

THE NEW ROMEDuring the later year of the Roman empire, power shifted:

From the western part to the east The empire changed Constantine built Constantinople as a new capital for the empire

Who Were the Byzantines?People of this empire did not call themselves “Byzantines”

They considered themselves Romanso Their empire became different from the ancient Roman empireo It did not control the city of Rome, most of the timeo Most of its people were Christiano They spoke Greek, not Latin

Because of these, and other differences, historians needed a separate name for this empire

o They called it the Byzantine empire because of its capital city Constantinople was built at a place called Byzantium

The City’s LocationConstantine was built on the Bosporus Strait

This strait and others waterways linked the Black and Mediterranean Seas. On one side of the Bosporus Strait was Asia On the other side was Europe

Defense and TradeConstantinople was easier to defend than Rome

Built on a peninsula Surrounded by water on three sides Protecting the city on land were:

o Two rinds of thick wallso A moat

Made an ideal trading centero Strategic locationo Good harbors

Merchants brought: India – spices Russia – furs China – silk Egypt – grain

Traders from western Europe came there to buy products from Asia Trade made it rich

JUSTINIAN AND THEODORAJustinian –

Great Byzantine emperor Ruled for nearly 40 years

o AD 527-565 He and his wife, Theodora, were a colorful and unusual royal couple Born to a family of peasants His uncle Justin began his career as an impoverished soldier

o He worked his way upo The armyo Then the throne

Justinian was his successor Theodora

o Also came from a lower-class familyo Her father was a bear trainer at the circuso As an adult, she became an actress

Both Justinian and Theodora were intelligent, bold, and ruthless

Justinian’s ConquestsJustinian dreamed of restoring Rome’s lost empire

He worked for more than 30 years trying to do just thato His generals won back lands around the Mediterranean

Spain Italy North Africa

o He even recaptured the city of Rome During his reign –

o The Byzantine empire reached its greatest sizeo But its many wars left the empire with money problemso Disease broke out across the empire as he was trying to complete his

conquests After his death –

o Invaders chipped away at the territory he had gainedo The Byzantine empire lost the areas he conquered

Justinian’s LegacyAlthough he could not restore the Roman empire, he did leave an important legacy

Rebuilt Hagia Sophiao Empire’s central church

Collected a law codeo Known as Justinian’s Code

THE SHRINKING EMPIREAfter the death of Justinian, the Byzantine empire slowly shrankOver the next 800 years, it would decline and fall

Foreign InvadersMany outside groups took parts of the empire:

Germanso Took lands in the west

Slavso Invaded from the north

Arab Muslimso Invaded and conquered Syria, Egypt, and North Africa

Turkso Seized much of modern-day Turkey and other areas o They are a Muslim Central Asian people

However, Byzantine emperors kept control of the core of their empire Modern-day Greece and western Turkey

They also continued to rule ConstantinopleToward the end –

They controlled little else The empire was more like a city-state

o The once powerful emperors had to hire Italian ships and soldiers to help defend their capital

Constantinople’s DefensesInvaders often tried to capture the city of Constantinople

Nearly all failed Those who tried to attack by land

o Could not get past the city’s strong walls Those who came from the sea

o Were stopped by a heavy chain across the city’s harboro The Byzantines also used a secret weapon against ships and troops

attacking the city walls Greek Fire

It burned furiously, even in water

The Defenses FailStill, Constantinople could not hold out forever1204 –

Soldiers from Western Europe took the cityo Called crusaders

They looted it and did great damage The Byzantine empire eventually retook its capital

The final attack came from the Turkish Ottoman empire Constantinople’s walls were built before the age of gunpowder The Ottomans used cannons that helped break down the walls

1453 – Constantinople fell to the Ottomans The Byzantine empire was no more

Section 2 – The Division of the Christian ChurchObj: Students will know features of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches; causes of the Great Schism; students will be able to compare and contrast the structure and function of the Roman Catholic and Easter Orthodox churches; compare views reflected in the Great Schism and explain why it occurredExpectations: In this section, students will read “The Division of the Christian Church”; plan a dialogue between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches; go “On Assignment” in the Byzantine empire and work on the chapter assignmentKey Ideas:

Bishops and patriarchs governed the early Christian church Christians disagreed over church organization, the use of icons, and other

issues Eventually divisions between East and West led to a permanent split

between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches

Chapter 14 – Section 2 – The Division of the Christian ChurchBy the late 300s, Christianity was the official religion of the Roman empire. However, various groups of Christians held different religious beliefs and views about important issues. Christianity split into two churches; Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCESAs Christianity grew, Christians began to argue about the beliefs of their faith.These arguments divided Christians into different groups

The Nicene CreedEarly Christians argued over exactly who Jesus was

some argued –o he was fully human

others believedo he was fully divine

others believedo he was both human and divine

353 –The emperor Constantine called a council of bishops

they met in Nicea they adopted a statement of beliefs (a creed)

o called the Nicene Creedo it said that Jesus was both human and divineo most Christians accepted ito but over time, Eastern and Western Christians came to disagree over

the creed’s exact wording

The Controversy Over IconsChristians also argued over iconsMany Christians displayed icons in their homes and churches

o for them, honoring an icon was a pathway to GodTo others, praying to icons seemed like worshiping objects

o which is forbidden in the Bible700s –

o several Byzantine emperors tried to stop icon useo people who opposed icons

iconoclasts meaning “image-breakers”

they went into churches and smashed iconso violence broke out between iconoclasts and their opponents

o attacks on icons angered Christians in Western Europeo Church leaders saw holy images as a way to teach people about God

Not as objects of worshipEventually, Byzantine emperors who opposed the iconoclasts took power

o Today, icons are an important part of worship in Eastern Orthodox churches

o But this left a bitterness between Eastern and Western Christians

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONChristianity spread and grew in part because of its strong organizationBut Christians came to disagree about who should lead the Church

Bishops and PatriarchsThe most important Christian leaders were called bishops.In the early days of the Church –

o Each church was led by its own bishopLater –

o A single bishop took charge of all the churches in a cityo Aided by members of the community

Eventually –o Bishops gained authority over all the churches in the region

o The bishops of the five most important cities were known as patriarchs

o These cities were: Constantinople Rome Alexandria Antioch Jerusalem

o The bishops’ authority was based on a tradition know as apostolic succession.

o According to tradition – Jesus gave authority over his Church to the original apostles This authority was then passed, by them, to each generation of

bishops

The Power of the PopeAt first –

The five patriarchs were in equal authorityOver time –

the bishop of Rome claimed authority over Christians everywhereo he began to be called ‘Pope’

which means father, or head, of the Church popes based their claim on the idea that they were the

successors to the apostle Peter they argued that Jesus had made Peter head of the

Churcho according to tradition, Peter traveled to Rome to

become its first bishop.o After his death, his authority as head of the

Church passed on to the bishops who followed him

o To back this up, popes pointed to Bible passage where Jesus spoke to Peter, whose name means “rock” in Greek

“You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church…I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”

Eastern patriarchs and the Byzantine emperors rejected this view of the pope. They wanted to be in charge of the church in their empire

o If the pope was head of the Church, this would take away from their authority

THE GREAT SCHISMOver time, differences between the Eastern and Western churches grew.Two religious traditions developed .1054 –

The two traditions formally splito Known as the Great Schism

The word schism comes from a Greek work meaning split or division

Two Christian ChurchesThe Eastern branch of the Church

Eastern Orthodox Churcho Orthodox means following established beliefs

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition –o The Byzantine emperor was head of the Churcho Patriarchs handled the churches’ day-to-day affairso They were all equals

Though the Patriarch of Constantinople was considered first among equals

o The Byzantine emperor had the power to remove a patriarch if he chose to

The Western branch became known as the Roman Catholic Church

o Roman refers to the fact that it was based in Romeo Catholic means universal, or concerned with all peopleo This church shaped the culture of Western Europeo The pope was the head of the Roman Catholic Church

As the spiritual leader of the Church, the pope: Claimed authority over all secular, or nonreligious, rulers He did not take orders from any secular ruler, including

the Byzantine emperoro **this was the most important issue dividing the

Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches

Different TraditionsOther than who were the heads, other differences between the two were:

Eastern Orthodox – o Greek languageo Were allowed to marry

Roman Catholic – o Latin languageo Were not allowed to marry

Today – There is no Byzantine emperor Eastern Orthodox churches in different countries are led by their own

patriarchs Eastern Orthodox still DO NOT recognize the pope’s power Although they have been separated since 1054

o Relations have improvedo The division still remains

Section 3 – Byzantine CivilizationObj: students will know main features of Byzantine culture, law, and religion; ways in which Byzantine culture spread; students will be able to summarize important issues about Byzantine civilization; identify cause and effects of Byzantine cultural diffusionExpectations: In this section, students will read “Byzantine Civilization”; physically demonstrate the spread of Byzantine culture; go “On Assignment” in Byzantine civilization and work on the chapter assignment Key Ideas:

The Byzantine empire developed its own culture while maintaining the Greco-Roman legacy

Justinian’s Code preserved Roman law Byzantine culture and Eastern Orthodox religion spread to Eastern Europe

and Russia

Chapter 14 – Section 3 – Byzantine CivilizationAlthough the Byzantine empire shrank in size throughout its history its people produced a great civilization. In this section, you will study Byzantine civilization and especially its influence on Eastern Europe ad Russia

A Unique CulturePeople of the Byzantine empire maintained some of the Greco-Roman traditions, but their society was also strongly shaped by Eastern Orthodox Christianity.The result:

A cultural blend that was unique, or distinct from other cultures

Architecture and LiteratureThe Byzantine empire produced its own style of architecture

Hagia Sophia - Justinian’s church It was the model for many buildings in other places Similar domes can be seen on churches and other houses of worship in

southern Europe and the Middle EastByzantine librarians and monks copied and preserved the manuscripts (handwritten documents) of ancient Greece and Rome

Works included:

o Homer’s epicso Writings by Greek and Roman philosophers

Organizing Roman LawIt was preserved and updated in the Byzantine empire.This effort was largely the work of the emperor Justinian

He found the vast legal legacy he inherited from Rome to be a confusing jumble of local laws, imperial decrees, and judges’ decisions.

He ordered a group of lawyers to organize his materialo he had them produce a unified code, or systematic body of law

his code brought order to the system of Roman law Justinian’s code:

o Published in 529o Gave great power to the emperoro Reveals ways people were treated in the empire

It discriminated against Jews and other non-Christians It allowed women to inherit property It protected some individual rights

THE EMPIRE’S INFLUENCEThe politics of the Byzantine empire were often violent.

Imperial court known for its plots and power struggleso Some rulers blinded or poisoned by rivals

Even so, the empire was so wealthy and its culture so attractive, its influence spread far beyond the empire’s borders

The Lure of ConstantinopleByzantine culture spread two ways –

Attracting visitors to Constantinopleo Merchants came to tradeo Scholars came to studyo Artists came to work

Visitors were amazed at what they saw Leaders showed off their wealth

o Impressed visitors with elaborate ceremonies, glittering jewels, ad rich clothing

o The visitors took ideas home with them

Many Eastern Europeans adopted parts of Byzantine culture

Spreading the FaithAnother way Byzantine culture was spread –

By Eastern Orthodox missionarieso 800s began to travel among non-Christians in southeastern Europe

Home to people called Slavso Converted many Slavs to Christianity resulting in Many Eastern

Europeans practicing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to this day Best known missionaries were two brothers:

o Cyril and Methodius Came from a noble family Gave up their wealth to become priests Made a major contribution to the Slavic culture Invented:

Cyrillic alphabeto Allowed Slavs to write down their languageo Based on the letters from the Greek alphabeto Today mostly used for Slavic languages like

Russian ang Bulgarian

EARLY RUSSIAEarly Russia was strongly influenced by the Byzantine empire

First large state was the Kievan Ruso Would later become Russia ad Ukraineo Based on the city of Kievo Founded by a people called the Rus

They were Vikings from northern Europe They joined with local Slavs to form a powerful state They controlled trade routes along Russia’s rivers south to

Constantinopleo Trade made Kievan Rus rich

Brought Russians into contact with the Byzantines Eventually rulers of the Rus converted to Eastern Orthodox

Christianity and spread that religion As in the Byzantine empire –

o Icons were important to Russian Christians

Russian architecture influenced by Byzantine building styles

Over time, The power of Kiev declined just as the Byzantine empire was also declining Byzantine empire fell in 1453 A new Russian empire developed

o Considered itself the “third Rome” Taking up the legacy of ancient Rome and the Byzantine

empires. Russian emperors took up the name “tsar”

The Russian version of Caesaro A title used by Roman and Byzantine emperors