THE BYZANTINE EMPIREALSO CALLED

EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE Remnants of the Eastern Roman EmpireSaw themselves as heirs of Rome’s great power.

Culture: Hellenistic (Greek))

Best Known Ruler: Justinian –

tries to retake the west the Justinian Code (laws)Stable governmentHaiga Sofia

Capital: Constantinople – World class city

Haiga Sophia – Church Hippodrome – Arena – held 60,000 people for chariot races, etc.

Great Universities

Location: on the Bosporus – Crossroads of tradeWell-protected: Cliffs on 3 sides- 3 walls 5’ to 75’

Eastern lands shrink – Constantinople lasts until 1453 CE

Religion: Christianity

Eastern Western

Leader Patriarch PopeIndependent from Gov.

no yes

Allows Icons eventually

yes

Language of church

local Latin

Priest allowed to marry

yes no

1054 CE - The Big Split in Christianity

(“schism”)

**Eastern Church = Eastern Orthodox Church (Correct belief)

**Western Church = Roman Catholic Church (Universal)

ICONS: Small religious art objectsICONOCLASTS: People against IconsEXCOMMUNICATION: Tossed out of the ReligionHERETICS: People who hold beliefs different than church teachings

SLAVS & TURKS INFLUENCED BY EMPIRESByzantine Empire and Slavs were at war for yearsMissionaries had Slavic convertsCyril – Byzantine monk, created alphabet for the Slavs to use (for reading the Bible). Cyrillic Alphabet used in several Slavic languages (Russian)).

RUSSIAPeople originally from Scandinavia, settled in Kiev.

989 AD–Vladimir accepts (Eastern Orthodox) Christianity for “Rus”

Religion, culture, and architecture patterned after Byzantine Empire (later Russia saw herself as the 3rd Rome)

TURKSTurks were at war with Islamic armiesJoined Islamic faith, but take over Baghdad (and become rulers).Ottoman Turks took over, attacked ConstantinopleUnder Muhammad II, Ottoman Turks took Constantinople on May 28, 1453 – finally Rome had totally fallen