The Byzantine Empire

It’s Ties to Rome & the Islamic Empires

Location is Key!• Byzantine Empire survived the fall of the Roman

Empire.o Constantinople served as a capital city for the Eastern half of the empireo Maintained Roman cultural traits: amphitheaters, stadia, architectural

styles.

• Success of the Byzantine Empire is mostly due to its location:o At an easy access point for Eurasian maritime & land-based tradeo Lacked the vulnerability of barbarian tribeso Easily defended from attack

Fate of Western Europe?

• What is happening in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire?o Overrun with barbarian tribes:

• Spain- Visigoths• Britain- Britons, Angles, Saxons• France- Franks• Italy- Ostrogoths

• Chaos replaced the order of the empireo No written lawso No judicial systemo Loyalty to the barbarian chief governed the landso Only remnant of Roman life was the existence of the Catholic faith.

• Barbarianism ended once the tribes converted.

Strengths of the Byzantines

• Had a strong, stable governmento Use of emperors similar to Rome

• Unique because it’s an example of a “reconstituted” governmento Succession problems didn’t exist: based on patriarchy & family lineageo Codified Roman laws for standardization & uniformity (Code of

Justinian)

• Culturally Unified Empireo Differs from Rome because it was a blend of many cultures:

• Turks, Greeks, Roman, Hellenistic (Perisan & Indian)• Cultural distinctions did not tear the empire apart

o Unified by the Orthodox faith compared to Rome• Helped spread Orthodoxy to Russia & Eastern Europe• Often blended Christian & Muslim-inspired architecture

• Standardized System of Taxation

Problems with the Empire

• Conflicts with Islamic Empireso Over time, the increasing strength of caliphates spread to Byzantine

borderso Constant conflict led to the need for increase in taxation to pay for

protectiono Crusades were often fought in Byzantine borders. This led to religious

conflicts between Christians & Muslims.

• Internal Conflictso Increase in taxation led to peasant revolts, which weakened the

stability of the empire

• Pressures from Outside Powers:o 1453—Ottoman Turks eventually overthrow the empire.

Changes & Continuities:

• Continuities:o Large empire that conquered using dominant militaries.o Large empire governed by a strong emperor. EX: ???o Empire that glorified its power through the construction of large buildings.o Empire that supported & patronized the arts.o Decline of the empire was due to conquests from outside forces.o Decline of the empire was due to internal revolts.

• Changes:o Large empire that consisted of a new, reconstituted government.

• Extension of the (western) Roman Empireo Large empire that was united culturally despite the diversity.o Governed by an emperor that claimed power through patriarchy & lineage