The document discusses the Byzantine Empire, which emerged after the division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern halves. The Eastern half became the Byzantine Empire, with its capital at Constantinople. The Byzantine Empire preserved Greek and Roman culture and laws through scholars, works of art like mosaics, and the Justinian Code. It lasted from approximately 400 AD to 1453 AD.

1. THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

2. Roman
Republic
Roman
Empire
Collapse of
the Roman
Empire
BYZANTINE EMPIRE
Byzantine
Empire

3. A. Reason #1
1. Economic Cost of an Empire so large
2. Economics - Part of society that creates wealth. Wealth comes from
the production of goods and services, which people buy with money.
3. It cost a lot of money to keep an army. The army protected people
and trade routes.
4. Government programs to take care of citizens cost money.
5. Government raised money by increasing taxes.
COLLAPSE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

4. B. Reason #2
1. Decline of traditional Roman values
2. As Rome grew stronger and richer, moral values
declined.
3. Corruption grew also. Corruption - Decay of people's
values.
4. Example - Corrupt government officials took bribes and
used threats to achieve goals such as political power.
COLLAPSE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

5. C. Reason #3
1. Threats from Outside the Empire
2. Barbarian Invasions - Barbarian means savaged or
uncivilized. Anyone not Roman was considered a barbarian.
3. Groups such as the Vandals, Angles, Saxons, Huns (leader was
Attila), and Visigoths attacked and invaded parts of the Roman Empire
making it weaker.
COLLAPSE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

6. D. Reason #4
1. Division into Eastern and Western Empire
2. Emperor Diocletian thought the empire was too large for one person
to rule and split it into two parts.
3. Eastern Part became known as the Byzantine Empire.
Constantinople became its capital.
COLLAPSE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

7. A. The Roman Empire was divided into two parts; Western
Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire.
1. The Western Roman Empire lasted till AD 400.
2. The Eastern Half, the Byzantine Empire lasted until
1450 AD.
II. BEGINNINGS OF THE BYZANTINE
EMPIRE

8. A. Constantinople was the capital of the empire.
B. Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire
here from Rome. He is considered by many to be the "Last Roman" emperor.
1. This city was located on the continents of Asia and Europe.
2. It is located on the Bosporus Strait connecting the Aegean Sea
(Mediterranean) and Black Sea.
3. It became important for international trade.
4. It was easily defended.
5. It became the greatest city in the west.
6. Today the city is known as Istanbul.
III. LOCATION OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE

9. A. Scholars preserved the literature of the Greeks and
the Romans.
IV. PRESERVATION OF GREEK AND
ROMAN CULTURE

10. A. Emperor Justinian created the Justinian Code.
1. He made a code or collection of laws, like Hammurabi
did in Babylon and the Roman Law of the Twelve Tables.
2. The code made it easier for the average citizen to
know the laws.
B. Justinian wife's name was Theodora. She influenced the
Byzantine Empire.
V. GOVERNMENT AND LAW

11. A. The empire had government officials and teachers educated.
B. Artists created mosaics. These are designs made of small bits of
colored stone, marble, or glass.
C. They decorated Christian Churches throughout the empire.
D. The most famous was the Hagia Sophia .
VI. CULTURE