WHY WAS CONSTANTINOPLE IMPORTANT? The emperor Constantine moved the capital of the empire from Rome to a city called Constantinople. This city became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was thriving. One reason for success was its location. This city was on the waterways between the Black Sea and Aegean Sea. The harbors offered safety for the fishing boats trading ships, and warships. Constantinople was at the crossroads of trade between Europe and Asia.This was a benefit that made the city wealthy. Sea protected Constantinople on three sides and a wall on the fourth. A huge chain was even strung across the city`s north harbor. Invaders could not easily invade Constantinople. HOW DID GREEK CULTURE INFLUENCE THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE? The Byzantines first followed the Roman ways. Constantinople became known as the "new" Rome. The city had an arena called the Hippodrome. The social and political life was also based on that of Rome. Emperors spoke Latin and enforced Roman laws. As time passed, the Byzantine Empire became less Roman and more Greek. Most of the Byzantines spoke Greek and honored the Greek past. The emperors and officials began to speak Greek as well. The non Greek people like the Egyptians and Slavs helped shaped the Byzantine Empire. Between 500 and 1200, the Byzantine Empire had one of the world`s richest and advanced empire. WHAT DID JUSTINIAN AND THEODORA DO? Justinian became the emperor in 527 and ruled until 565. He was a strong leader. He controlled the military, made laws, and severed as supreme judge. His order could not be questioned. His wife, Theodora, helped him rule the empire. Theodora was a former actress, she was intelligent, and she helped choose government officials. Theodora convinced Justinian to give women more rights. A Byzantine woman could own land and if she became a widow, she had the income to take care of her children. In 532, Theodora helped save Justinian`s thrown. Angry taxpayers threatened to overthrow Justinian and invade the palace at the Nika Rebellion.Justinian`s advisers begged him to leave Constantinople. Theodora told him to stay and fight. Justinian stayed in the city and crushed the uprising.
Justinian wanted to reunite the Roman Empire. To do this he had to conquer Western Europe and North Africa. He ordered General Belisarius to strengthen and lead the army. Instead of walking on foot, the soldiers relied on horses. Byzantine Calvary wore armor and carried bows, and lances. The army conquered most of Italy and northern Africa and defeated the Persians. Justinian conquered to muck too quickly. After his death, the empire did not have the money to maintain an army large enough to hold territory in the west.
Justinian decided that the empire`s laws were unorganized. He ordered a group of legal scholars headed by Tribonian to reform the law code. This new law code became known as Justinian`s law code. Officials, businessmen, and individuals could now easily follow the law. The Justinian`s law code influenced many of the laws in Europe. WHY WAS TRADE IMPORTANT TO THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE? From the 500s to the 1100s, the Byzantine Empire was the center of trade between Europe and Asia. Ships and caravans from Asia brought luxury goods such as spices, gems, metals, and cloth. Byzantine merchants would trade farm goods, fur, money, and enslaved people from northern Europe. This huge trade made the Byzantine Empire very wealthy. Most Byzantines were not merchants. They were farmers, herders, laborers, and artisans. One of the major industries was weaving silk. It was developed around 550. Byzantine travelers smuggled silk worm eggs out of China. The silkworms fed on mulberry leaves and produced silk threads. Weavers then used this material to make silk cloth that brought great wealth to the empire.WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE? Justinian and other emperors supported artists and architects. They ordered the building of churches, forts, and public buildings throughout the empire. Constantinople was known for its thousands of churches and castles. One of Justinian`s achievements was the building of a huge church called the Hagia Sophia. This means "Holy Wisdom." The construction of this church was completed on 537 and became the religious center of the Byzantine Empire. It still stands today in Istanbul. Worshippers could could see the walls of beautiful marble and mosaics Mosaics were an important of type of art in the empire. These mosaic showed figures of saints.WHAT ROLE DID WOMEN PLAY? The family was the center for social life for most Byzantines. Religion and government stressed the importance of marriage and family. Divorces were rare and hard to get. The women were not encouraged to live independent lives. They were expected to stay at home and take care of the family. Women did gain some important rights. This was Theodora`s doing. Theodora and other Byzantine women became well educated and involved in politics. Royal women served as regents. A few ruled the empire. WHY IS EDUCATION IMPORTANT? Learning was highly respected in the empire. The government supported the training of scholars and government officials. In the schools, boys studied religion, medicine, law, arithmetic, grammar, and other subjects. Wealthy Byzantines` sometimes hired tutors. Girls did not go to school. Instead, they were taught at home. Most Byzantine authors wrote about religion. They stressed that people need to obey God and save one`s soul. They also wrote about the lives of saints. Byzantine writers gave an important gift to the world. they copied and passed the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Without these copies, many important works from the ancient world would have been lost before.
Justinian wanted to reunite the Roman Empire. To do this he had to conquer Western Europe and North Africa. He ordered General Belisarius to strengthen and lead the army. Instead of walking on foot, the soldiers relied on horses. Byzantine Calvary wore armor and carried bows, and lances. The army conquered most of Italy and northern Africa and defeated the Persians. Justinian conquered to muck too quickly. After his death, the empire did not have the money to maintain an army large enough to hold territory in the west.
Justinian decided that the empire`s laws were unorganized. He ordered a group of legal scholars headed by Tribonian to reform the law code. This new law code became known as Justinian`s law code. Officials, businessmen, and individuals could now easily follow the law. The Justinian`s law code influenced many of the laws in Europe. WHY WAS TRADE IMPORTANT TO THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE? From the 500s to the 1100s, the Byzantine Empire was the center of trade between Europe and Asia. Ships and caravans from Asia brought luxury goods such as spices, gems, metals, and cloth. Byzantine merchants would trade farm goods, fur, money, and enslaved people from northern Europe. This huge trade made the Byzantine Empire very wealthy. Most Byzantines were not merchants. They were farmers, herders, laborers, and artisans. One of the major industries was weaving silk. It was developed around 550. Byzantine travelers smuggled silk worm eggs out of China. The silkworms fed on mulberry leaves and produced silk threads. Weavers then used this material to make silk cloth that brought great wealth to the empire.WHAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE? Justinian and other emperors supported artists and architects. They ordered the building of churches, forts, and public buildings throughout the empire. Constantinople was known for its thousands of churches and castles. One of Justinian`s achievements was the building of a huge church called the Hagia Sophia. This means "Holy Wisdom." The construction of this church was completed on 537 and became the religious center of the Byzantine Empire. It still stands today in Istanbul. Worshippers could could see the walls of beautiful marble and mosaics Mosaics were an important of type of art in the empire. These mosaic showed figures of saints.WHAT ROLE DID WOMEN PLAY? The family was the center for social life for most Byzantines. Religion and government stressed the importance of marriage and family. Divorces were rare and hard to get. The women were not encouraged to live independent lives. They were expected to stay at home and take care of the family. Women did gain some important rights. This was Theodora`s doing. Theodora and other Byzantine women became well educated and involved in politics. Royal women served as regents. A few ruled the empire. WHY IS EDUCATION IMPORTANT? Learning was highly respected in the empire. The government supported the training of scholars and government officials. In the schools, boys studied religion, medicine, law, arithmetic, grammar, and other subjects. Wealthy Byzantines` sometimes hired tutors. Girls did not go to school. Instead, they were taught at home. Most Byzantine authors wrote about religion. They stressed that people need to obey God and save one`s soul. They also wrote about the lives of saints. Byzantine writers gave an important gift to the world. they copied and passed the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Without these copies, many important works from the ancient world would have been lost before.