The Byzantine Empire

In 476 AD, the “Fall” of the Roman Empire was really only half a fall. The empire in the East survived 1000 years after the empire in the West collapsed.

Justinian was an emperor from 527-565 AD. His reign was considered the greatest period of the Byzantine Empire. He achieved a great deal during his reign because he chose exceptional people to help him govern. He also had power over the church.

Theodora was the wife of Justinian. She was a very intelligent and strong woman. She helped her husband rule the empire by helping him be victorious during the Nika rebellion, a threat to overthrow Justinian’s rule. She also encouraged her husband to improve the status of women. The laws that Justinian passed were that a husband could not beat his wife, a woman could divorce a man if he mistreats her, a woman could hold property equal to her dowry, and a widow could raise her own children. These laws are very much like the law in America today.

Belisarius was Justinian’s commander in chief. He led the fight against the Nika rebellion for Justinian. His wife, Antonina, was a good friend of Theodora. He led Justinian’s army to regain lost Roman territory.

After Justinian’s death, the empire suffered from civil unrest and conflicts with foreign powers. The Persians, Avars, Slavs, and Lombards (mostly Muslims) were attacking the empire.

The Byzantine Empire was politically strong. The Emperor was all-powerful. There was a strong central government and the emperor used skilled officials to help the government run smoothly. The emperor also used lots of diplomacy with foreign powers such as marriage alliances and he also used intelligence services (spies).

The Byzantine Empire was also militarily strong. The army consisted of infantry (foot soldiers), cavalry (horsemen), and the engineering corps. Soldiers in the army were rewarded with land after their term was over. The generals also created instruction manuals for war. The army had improved weapons and armor from the Roman Empire. The navy used battering rams on the front of their boats to sink the opposition. The navy also experimented with “Greek Fire”, a chemical weapon founded by the Greeks that could not be put out with water that basically burned everything in its path).

The Empire lastly had a strong economy. There was excellent agriculture, trade, and manufacturing. Constantinople, the capital of the empire, was strategically positioned in order to maximize trade. It controlled the sea trade routes between Europe and Asia. Constantinople was dubbed “The Second Rome”. There was also a large tax revenue.

The Empire also was very culturally intensive. Scholars produced many original works and the culture preserved the classical learning of the Greeks, Romans, and the East. Culture spread beyond the borders of the empire. Cyril and Methodius were Christian missionaries. They wanted to teach the Bible to the Slavs, the lower class, because the Slavs had no written language. Cyril and Methodius taught the Slavs a written language and was called the Cyrillic alphabet. Some of the letters in the alphabet are the same as the standard English letters today. Byzantine art was devoted to religion. There were many murals at the time. Mosaics are pictures or designs composed of inlaid pieces of stone, glass, or enamel. Position of a mosaic in a church signified its importance. Byzantine Art did not reflect physical reality. It appeared still and artificial and was very unrealistic. The Byzantines excelled in religious architecture. The Hagia Sophia, a church turned mosque, was the largest religious building of its day. It was built by Justinian and was built in the shape of a cross. The Byzantines discovered how to put a round dome on a rectangular building and thus the large dome at the top. The Byzantines also constructed the Hippodrome, a racing arena that was famous for its chariot races.

The decline of the empire began in AD 1000’s when the Seljuk Turks, nomadic people from central Asia, captured most of Asia Minor. Asia Minor was an important source of food and soldiers for the Byzantine Empire. The Turks were preparing to invade Constantinople so the Byzantine emperor asks the West for help (The Crusades begin). The Crusades helped the empire but the 4h crusade actually captured Constantinople. In 1453 AD, the Ottoman Turks, an Asian force, captured Constantinople. The Empire has finally come to an end.