Eras of Western Civilization

Antiquity Ends with the fall of the western half of the

Roman Empire, 476 AD

Medieval Period Ends with the Renaissance and the Age of

Discovery, 1500s

Modern Era Ends with the Enlightenment and continues to

present

The Byzantine Empire330 - 1453

The Church

The early centuries of Christianity were times of great debate among Christian theologians

Arguments over what may seem trivial were in fact very important because they would shape the way people think about and practice Christianity in the present day

Important Latin Theologians

Jerome(340-420) translated the Old and New Testaments into Latin, which became the accepted version of the Bible

Ambrose (340-397) urged humility and the separation of church and state

Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, wrote The City of God after a barbarian attack on Rome. Said Christians should be more concerned about the Kingdom of God than their worldly cities

The Fall of Rome, the Rise of Byzantium

Byzantine Empire = the “Eastern” Roman EmpireIt’s history spans another 1,000 years after the western half of the Roman Empire collapses in 476. Recall:285 Emperor Diocletian divides the Roman

Empire into eastern and western halves33o Emperor Constantine transfers the capitol

from Rome to Byzantium, renames the city Constantinople (“City of Constantine”)

392 Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the empire

The Byzantine Empire, 330 - 1453

Byzantine Government Women allowed to rule Government operated largely by eunuchs

In the Church, huge contrasts developed between the eastern and the western empires Roman Empire in the west spoke Latin Byzantine Empire in the east spoke Greek Debate over the power of the Pope and icons

Legacy of the Byzantine Empire

Because of the geographic location of Constantinople (on water and between two continents), trade fueled the economy. Goods from China and India poured into Constantinople

along the Silk Road before making their way to EuropeArts and learning flourished in the Byzantine

Empire because of all of the unique cultures that mixed through trade. Their most famous style of art was the stained glass mosaic which often pictured religious images of Jesus, Mary, and martyrs.

The Church set up schools to teach medicine, law, philosophy, geometry, music

Justinian, 482 - 565

Justinian and wife Theodora had risen to power from poor families

Byzantine Empire constantly under attack by Islamic forces from all directions Huge Christian/Muslim rivalry

Christian “Defenders of the Faith”

Islamic forces try several times to take Constantinople

Justinian fought several expensive campaigns in the west to regain the former Roman Empire, unsuccessful After his death, barbarians take

much of the eastern border

Justinian’s Legacy

“The Last Roman” Considered a saint in the modern orthodox church

Corpus Juris Civilis— 60 vols of Roman law organized into categories and updated, translated into Greek

Hagia Sophia—Built by Emperor Justinian who wanted a church that would outdo the Temple of Solomon. It’s design is a dome over a square base. Stained glass Debate over icons

Hagia Sophia

Empire’s Greatest Extent under Justinian

Heraclius, 575 – 641

Attempted to regain territory lost following Justinian’s death, partly successful

Made the imperial government more efficient Greek becomes the official language of the empire Established the “theme system”—empire divided into

districts and ruled locally Permitted land ownership by civilians which gave

them an incentive to fight off barbariansAbolished the death penalty, except for

treason Replaced with mutilation

Roman Christians(Western Roman

Empire)

Byzantine Christians(Eastern Roman Empire)

Political differences

Pope (Bishop of Rome) had absolute power

Rejected the Pope’s power, ruled by the Patriarch of Constantinople who was appointed by the Byzantine emperor

Celibacy Became a crucial doctrine to prevent hereditary power

East more urban and cosmopolitan—difficult to enforce. Priests allowed to marry

Icono-graphy

Used relics, prayed to saints, the Virgin Mary, or Christ (these things believed to be more accessible) so that prayers might be passed on to God

Iconoclasts (Greek for image-breakers), interpretation of Ten Commandments which forbids making or worshipping graven images

Priestly appear-ance

Priests and clergy began shaving their heads and faces

Clergy bearded

Distinct names

Called the “Roman Catholic” Church

Called the “Greek Orthodox” Church

The East-West Schism, 1054

The Catholic Church splits into two factions in 1054 In the west: Roman Catholic Church In the east: Greek Orthodox Church

Riot in Constantinople when Italian merchants build a Catholic church outside the city Byzantines burn the church to the ground, all Latin

churches ordered closed by the Patriarch The Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople quarrel, each

excommunicates the other, passes on to each of their successors

Official truce between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches under Pope Paul VI in 1965

Saints Cyril and Methodius, 9th Cent

“Apostles to the Slavs”Brothers born in

Thessalonica, Macedon

Converted pagan Slavic tribes to the Greek Orthodox Church

Cyrillic alphabet created to teach pagans literacy

Muslim Invasions

By the 7th century, Muslim invaders (Turks) posed a serious threat to the Byzantine Empire 717 Byzantines held of an attack on the capitol

with use of Greek fire, a flammable substance similar to napalm that would ignite on water, burned Turkish ships

Byzantine Empire officially falls in 1453 when 70k Ottoman Turks surround the city of Constantinople Successful new weapon, cannon Rename the city Istanbul, becomes the capital of

the new Ottoman Empire