The document compares the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire in three sentences: The Byzantine Empire was the eastern half of the Roman Empire that continued after the western half fell into the Dark Ages, with its capital at Constantinople instead of Rome and Greek as the dominant language rather than Latin. While similar in being based on Roman laws and culture, the Byzantine Empire differed in following Eastern Orthodox Christianity and lasted over 1000 years until 1453. The Byzantine Empire played an important role in preserving classical Greek and Roman knowledge and influenced neighboring civilizations like Kievan Rus through religion, trade, and cultural diffusion.

1. I. Byzantine Empire
Ties to the Roman Empire
How it was created: It was the eastern half of the old Roman Empire
How the Byzantine Empire Compared with the Roman Empire
Capital Religion Language Other Information
Roman - The western half of the old
Roman Empire
Roman Rome Catholic Latin
(Christian) - Fell into the “Dark Ages”
Eastern - The eastern half of the old
(Greek) Roman Empire
Byzantine Constantinople Greek
Orthodox - Grew strong and lasted 1000
(Christian) years

4. Istanbul Hagia Sophia

5. Impact on Russia:
Religion: Eastern Orthodox spread to Russia (known as Russian Orthodox)
Trade: Many Byzantine ideas were introduced into
Russia through trade
Reasons why the Empire
- Cyrillic alphabet - Art work (mosaics) lasted so long
- Religion - Architecture
• Organized Government
Contributions to our society
Justinian’s Code: • Did not get to be too
big
The laws of the Byzantine Empire based on the “Twelve
Tables” of Roman law, became a basis for laws in many • Minded their own
European nations business
Art and Architecture:
Usually supported the Christian Church
Preservers of Greek and Roman culture:
The Byzantine Empire saved the knowledge, art, and ideas of the old Roman and Greek cultures

6. Classic Empires
Maurya Civilization & The Han Dynasty

7. Maurya Civilization
Location – Northern India – Indus River Valley
Created a bureaucracy (system that runs a government)
Ran a centralized government – all cities report to one
location and all laws come from one location

11. Han Dynasty
Location – Eastern China

12. Contributions:
Paper
Wheelbarrow
Rudder
Acupuncture

16. Originally built to protect
Northern boarders
Nomad Invaders
Several Walls
Began in 5th Century BC

17. The Silk Road
Silk – Popular trade product, soft natural fiber
Chinese Law: No silk worms could be exported
“Silk Road” connected China and Middle East
(Cultural Diffusion)

20. Civil Service System
Pass a civil service test to get a government job
Based on the teachings of Confucius

21. Dynasty System
Line of ruling families in China
Mandate of Heaven – families are given the right to
rule by the gods

23. Essential Questions:
What does it mean to call a civilization classical ?

24. Essential Questions:
How did geography cause the rise of city-states in
Greece?

25. Essential Questions:
Generally, what was the status of women and
slaves in classical civilizations?

26. Essential Questions:
How are contemporary (today’s) democratic
governments rooted in classical civilizations?