The document provides background information on the Byzantine Empire. It describes how the Roman Empire was originally centered around the Mediterranean but faced internal and external threats over time. Emperor Diocletian divided the empire into western and eastern halves to make it easier to govern. Constantine later moved the capital to Constantinople in Turkey. The western half of the empire continued to decline due to invasions, while the eastern half grew stronger under emperors like Justinian who reconquered territory and standardized the legal system. The Byzantine Empire had Constantinople as its capital and spoke Greek, with Orthodox Christianity becoming its dominant religion.

1. Byzantium
(the Eastern Empire)
Social Studies for 9th E.G.B.
Teacher: Mauricio Torres

2. Background
At its height the Roman Empire included all the land
around the Mediterranean Sea. It went from England to
Egypt and all the way into the Syrian desert.
External and internal threats started to decimate the
empire.
Emperor Diocletian considered the empire to big to be
ruled, so he named a co-emperor to rule the western
half, while he ruled the eastern half.
Christianity was now the official religion in the empire.

3. Division of the Empire
When Diocletian left
power, Constantine reunited
the empire for a short time. He
also moved the capital to the
east, into what is now Turkey.
The new capital was rebuilt into
a grand city, which he named
Constantinople (which means
the City of Constantine).
Even though the capital now
had moved out of Rome, it was
still called the Roman Empire.

4. Decline of Rome
North-European Barbarian tribes started to
invade the Roman Empire in the 200s. A century
later, these bands began to raid inside the heart
of the Empire.
The Romans fought desperately to keep these
tribes
(Goths, Huns, Vandals, Saxons, Franks, etc).
They even paid some of them bribes not to
attack.
In 408 AD, the Visigoths marched into
Rome, sacked it and almost destroyed it.
In 476 a foreign general in the Roman army
overthrew the last Emperor of Rome and
declared himself king of Italy.
This is considered by historians as the end of the
western Empire.

5. Decline of Rome

6. A new Eastern Empire
Despite the fall of Rome, the eastern empire grew in
wealth and power. Its people created a new society that
was different from the society in the west.

7. Justinian
For the emperor Justinian (527-565)
reuniting the Roman empire was a
passion.
His armies conquered Italy and
much of the land around the
Mediterranean.
His other passions were: the law and
the church.
He ordered officials to remove any
out-of-date or unchristian laws.
He organized the whole legal
system called Justinian’s Code.
By simplifying Roman law, fair
treatment for all was guaranteed.

8. Justinian
Despite his successes, Justinian made many enemies.
In 532, an uprising almost drove him out from
Constantinople.
His smart and powerful wife, Theodora convinced him to
stay and fight.
He took her advise, crushed the revolt and ruled effectively
for the rest of his reign.

9. Byzantine
Society

10. Byzantine Empire
Capital:
Constantinople
Language:
Greek
Religion:
Orthodox Christianity (after 1054)
Government Type:
Absolutist Autocracy (Emperor)

11. Ask
Recall:
What is emperor Diocletian known for?
Who was Theodora?
What event marked the end of the Western Roman Empire?
Relate:
How is Justinian’s Code important for us today?
Interpret:
Why would Constantine choose Byzantium as his capital?
How much influence did Theodora have over Justinian?

12. Bibliography
Ellis, E. G., & Esler, A. (2009). World History. (P.
Hall, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, US: Pearson
Education INC.
Burstein, S. M., & Shek, R. (2012). World History
(Teacher´s Edition) (1st Edition ed.). (H. McDougal, Ed.)
Orlando, Florida, US.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishing Company.
Images taken from Google.