The Byzantine Empire in Postclassical Times

Origins Roman Emperor Constantine

moves capital to Byzantium (Constantinople) - 330 CE

Roman Empire divided - 395 CE In 7th century CE Greek adopted

by Byzantine Empire

Why did the Eastern Roman Empire survive?

Large cities (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch)

Productive agriculture (Egypt) Capital Constantinople easy to defend Shorter borders with Asiatic nomads and

Germanic peoples Eastern Rome wealthier, more urbanized,

stronger military than Western Rome

Constantinople

Government – What is old Referred to themselves as Romans (even after

switch to Greek) Preserved Greek and Roman culture

wore Roman style robes and sandals Preserved Roman law Kept up Roman roads Roman taxation system Church – Christianity Centralized government, thousands of

bureaucrats in Constantinople, bureaucrats come from land owning elite

Elaborate court life

Government – What is new

Caesaropapism: emperor is head of both church and state

Emperor has absolute power Church legitimizes absolute rule of the

emperor (anointed by God) Generals in the provinces have also civil

authority, raise armies from land owning peasants in times of war

Justinian Emperor Justinian (527-565) regained much territory codified Roman law, became basis

of legal systems in West (Justinian´s Code)

large building program in Constantinople

(Hagia Sophia)

Constantinople and International Trade

Constantinople one of the largest cities in the world

Sits at cross roads of trade routes Important both as market and

manufacturing center (jewelry, linen and woolen cloth, silk, dyes)

Government control silk production Byzantine gold coins used widely in trade

in Mediterranean

The Demise of the Empire Loss of possessions in North Africa and Syria to

Arab empire Balkan Peninsula invaded by Slavic tribes and

tribes from Asia (Bulgarians, Magyars, and others)

Loss of Anatolia to Seljuk Turks (Battle of Manzikert 1071)

1204 Constantinople invaded and conquered by crusaders, Constantinople shrinks

1453 Constantinople conquered by Ottoman Turks (size of Constantinople: 50.000)

Byzantine Influences and Eastern Europe in the Postclassical Era

Schism between Catholic and Orthodox Church in 1054

Orthodox Emperor nominates

patriarch, church under political control

Monks and village priests, who can marry

monasteries Decentralized

organization Localized churches,

church service in local languages

Catholic Pope crowns Emperor of

Holy Roman Empire Popes, bishops often

interfere in politics All priests are celibate

Monasteries Centralized organization

Church service in Latin

The Christianization of Eastern Europe Emperor and Orthodox Church sponsor

missionaries to Slavic tribes in Eastern Europe Most of Balkan region (Serbia, Romania,

Macedonia, Bulgaria) and Russia converted to Orthodox Christianity

Cyril and Method, invent script for Slavic languages (based on Greek letters)

Orthodox Church decentralized, church service in local languages, church leaders appointed by political leaders

Kievan Prince Vladimir converts to Orthodox Christianity

Byzantine priests, artists, architects invited

Have big impact on Eastern European art and architecture (churches, mosaics, icons)

Russia follows different path than Western Europe (Byzantine-Greek, but not Latin)

Byzantine Icon (St. George)

Russian Icons (Sts. Boris and Gleb)

Byzantine influences on early Muslim architecture, Dome of the Rock 691 CE

Byzantine Empire in 1450

The Rise of Russia Eastern Europe settled by Slavic

speaking tribes Viking traders in 9th century founded

state of Rus in Kiev, only small minority

Become Orthodox Christians Close ties to Byzantium (trade,

religion, culture) destroyed by Russian princes and

Asiatic nomads

Society in Kievan Russia shifting cultivation, low

agricultural production no manorial system few large cities, based on trade artisans higher status than

peasants taxes on trade main income for

government

Mongol Invasions and the Rise of Moscow

Mongols conquer Russia in 1240 Rule from afar, only interested in tribute Moscow became the main power to

extract tribute Russia culturally isolated, follows

different cultural path than rest of Europe pressure to pay tribute leads to increased

serfdom, more organized and efficient state