BYZANTINE CIVILIZATION

The impact the Byzantine Empire had on Eastern Europe

Rooted in Eastern Orthodox tradition

A UNIQUE CULTURE

• Constantinople is located between Europe and Asia

• Greek and Roman ideas mix with Eastern ideas

PRESERVING ROMAN LAW• Roman law preserved

(kept) by Emperor Justinian

• Justinian orders laws to be organized to make sense

• Justinians’ Code was published in 529

• Preserved Roman Legal tradition (still used in many modern countries today)

JUSTINIANS CODE

ART AND ARCHITECTUREHad their own sense of style

ie: Hagia Sophia (domed ceiling)Mosaics

Most were flat, formal and religiousIcons

HAGIA SOPHIA

ICONS AND MOSAICS

EDUCATION AND LITERATURE• EDUCATION was

IMPORTANT• Government supports

schools• Study : philosophy, math,

music, learned to read• Built LIBRARIES to keep

important manuscripts from the Greek and Roman times (Plato, Socrates, etc)

THE SPREAD OF BYZANTINE CULTURE

Had to constantly protect its’ bordersVery violent history with murder

plots and power strugglesBut none the less the culture of

CONSTANTINOPLE will spread to far off lands due to traders/merchants

and missionaries

THE LURE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

• Culture spread when visitors came

• Traders/merchants came to trade

• Scholars came to study at the libraries

• Artists came to work• ALL WERE AMAZED!!!!• When they went home

they took the information and new ideas with them

MISSIONARY WORK

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CONVERSION OF THE RUSSIANS

988 Russia sends officials to Constantinople to “check it out”

The were amazed and impressed with what they saw in the city of

ConstantinopleSoon after the Prince of Russia converts

to Eastern Orthodox (Christinaity)

THE END OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

• Was always under attack

• West-German Empire• East-Persian Empire• South-Arab Empire• North-Slavic Empire• All wanted the riches of

the city

DefenseThe strong walls protected the city

from invasion by land

Greek fire destroyed those attacking by sea (chemical mixture that burned

in water)

GREEK FIRE AND HIGH WALLS HELP TO PROTECT THE CITY

THE END COMES SLOWLYIt comes slowly bit by bit

Final attack came from the group of people called the SELJUK TURKS

The Turks had gunpowder (who did they trade with to get it?)

Cannons would now be able to knock the walls down that once protected itConstantinople was finally conquered

and fell to the TURKS in 1453