The Byzantine Empire originated from the eastern half of the Roman Empire based in Constantinople. It dominated the Mediterranean region from 330-1453 CE and had a major influence on religion, culture, and law. The Byzantines considered themselves the true heirs of Rome and the Orthodox Christian faith was the official religion. Notable achievements included Justinian's codification of Roman law, the construction of Hagia Sophia, and the preservation of Greek and Roman culture during the Middle Ages. However, the empire gradually declined due to military pressures and finally fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

1. Aim: How did the Byzantine Empire
(330-1453) influence the world?

2. I- Definition of Byzantine
A- Byzantine: this term is a modern invention. The
Byzantines called themselves either ‘Romans’ or ‘Greeks’.
B- It was the medieval Greek-speaking, Christian empire that
dominated the eastern Mediterranean.
C-Official Religion was Greek Orthodox (Christian).
D- Because of its location, its capital city, Constantinople,
was an important center for trade for Europe, Asia, Africa
and the Middle East
1. Controlled the water route between the Black & Aegean
Seas

3. Diocletian’s Empire

4. II- The origins of the empire
A- 292: Diocletian divides the
Roman empire into two.
B- 324: Constantine reunites the
two parts
C- 330: Constantine builds a new
capital in the location of
ancient Byzantium (called
Constantinople)
D- Most early emperors were not
successful in increasing their
land
E- The Arabs conguered Persia
& took the Holy Land (Israel,
Syria & part of Egypt) from
the Byzantines

5. F- Many emperors build
strong walls, palaces,
churches, gardens, Constantinople
aqueducts and made
the city the biggest,
strongest and most
enlightened city of its
time
G- 337: The death of
Constantine results in
division between the
east and west. The Walls of Theodosius

6. Cistern Basilica

7. The Fall of Rome
• Barbarian tribes keep
pushing into a fragmented
and weakened Roman
Empire.
• The east through bribery,
diplomacy and better
military resists effectively
• 476: Rome Falls
The Last Legion

8. III- The Age of Justinian (527-75)
A- The beautiful church
Hagia Sophia (“Holy
Wisdom”) was built…
it became the center of
the Eastern Orthodox
Church
1. They called it Eastern
Orthodox to be
different from the
Roman Catholics

9. Hagia Sophia, Church of the Holy Wisdom, 6th c.

10. Justinian’s legacy
B- Byzantine monks sneak silkworms out of China.
C- Justinian orders the codification of Roman law called
JUSTINIAN CODE (based on the Twelve Tables of
the Roman Empire)***
D- He was heavy-handed towards heresies (non-believers
of their religion)
E- In 529 he closed the philosophical school of Athens,
destroying the last center of paganism (also non-
Christians & polytheistic believers).
F- He conquered many lands, around the Mediterranean
Sea but after his death, the empire was reduced to just
Turkey, Italy & Greece

11. The Byzantine empire in 565, at its largest expansion ever.

12. The Empire in 668

13. IV- Emperor Leo III (717-741)
A- Leo III, using the Greek
Fire, defeats the Arabs
decisively and halts
Islamic expansion.
B- Against the odds, he
halted the end of
Byzantium, and preserved
Christianity in Europe.

14. V- The Fall of the Byzantine Empire
A- 1070s Muslims called Seljuk
Turks attacked them
B- The Byzantine Emperor asked
the Pope in Rome for help
1. The Pope sent soldiers,
which started The Crusades
which lasted about 200 years
C- Another group of Turks
called the Ottomans captured
the capital (Constantinople)
and ended the Byzantine
empire

15. V- Lasting Contributions of the
Byzantines
A- The Great Schism- (1054) rivalry and religious dispute
that split the Eastern and Western branches of the
Christian Church
B- Art- especially…
1. Mosaics- decorations made of small stones or tiles
2. Icons- religious images painted on wood and used for
prayer
C- Beautiful churches like Hagia Sophia
D- Law- Justinian Code

16. The Byzantine Empire in 1025, after Basil’s death.

17. E- Influence on Russia
1. The Cyrillic Alphabet is
still used in Russia today
2. Spread Orthodox
Christianity
3. The Russian Czar is
based on Caesar
F- They kept Greek and
Roman culture alive and
even passed it down
during the Dark Ages (aka
Middle Ages)

18. The Fall of Constantinople
• The world turned its eyes
on a depopulated
Constantinople in the
spring of 1453.
• A shadow of its former
glory the imperial city fell
after months of siege.
• Constantine XI, the last
emperor became the
subject of legends.

19. Constantine IX

20. The Fall of Constantinople to the Crusaders , 1204

22. The religious art of Byzantium
• Intellectual, idealistic,
schematic, with
restrained colors and
reserved form.
• Realism is rare and
undesirable
• The objective is the
spiritual elevation of
the believer

23. The Literature of Byzantium
• 4th-5th century:
• Still within the
boundaries of
Classical Literature.
• Basil
• Gregory Nazianzenos
• Gregory of Nyssa
• John Chrysostom
• Athanasius