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flashcards on the Byzantine Empire
flashcards on the Byzantine Empire
flashcards on the Byzantine Empire
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As the Roman Empire expanded to help govern it better it brought out the Western (old) Romans in Western Europe and the Eastern (new) Romans in Eastern Europe. Many in the west saw the east as Greeks, but the Eastern Romans saw themselves as the Roman Empire with its capital in Constantinople. Early on Emperor Constantine sought to keep the two united but as the fifth and sixth centuries rolled around they each had gone their separate ways. With chaos in the west, the east thrived after the west fell under Germanic tribes and the east later became known as the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire lasted from 330-1453 a thousand years longer than the Western Roman Empire. Due to the placement of the Byzantine Empire and its capital, this empire became very wealthy. It was positioned between the Black Sea and the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea in the middle of a trade route in which the Asians, Europeans, and North Africans used. As their walls withstood many attempts of invasion, the Byzantine Empire’s walls were sure to fall to advent of cannons from the Ottoman Empire at the helm of Mehmed II.
Early in the new millennium as the Roman Empire was declining, the emperor thought it wise to split in half for he thought it would be easier to control. On 330 Constantinople was inaugurated and given a second name, New Rome. This city goes through vast changes and acquires a new religion, a new focus of gravity, and a major modification of culture. Constantinople offered the emperor a strategic place for protecting the empire in the west from invaders like the Persians in the Middle East. Even though Constantinople signified the beginning of the Byzantine Empire, it was the conclusion of the Roman Empire. For centuries...
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...lah, and Muhammad is his prophet. The great church, for many centuries the most magnificent in Christendom, now begins its career as a mosque. And Constantinople gradually acquires a new name; the urban area, widely referred to in everyday Greek as eis tin polin (in the city), becomes Istanbul (5, www.historyworld.net). The great city in the east once at the top of all in Europe was now in Muslim hands. Byzantine Empire helped maintain Roman and Greek culture as well as Christianity with the spreading of its ideas all around the world. These “new” Romans had made their mark by carrying on legacies of fallen emperors and sister empires. Even thought the city fell the new captures still considered themselves to carry on the Roman ways. The fall of Constantinople meant the closing of the famous trade route, the Silk Road.
Works Cited
History of World Societies
The Byzantine Empire is distinct because they stress education which results in them doing better in other areas like trade,law,and skills like architecture. The Romans will always be another stepping stone for the Byzantine. The Byzantines found a way to reinvent all the Roman's failures and turn them into successes. For example, Rome has the Twelve Tables that nobody remembers , then the Byzantine make Justinian's law based on The Twelve Tables and fix it up some then it becomes a legendary piece of work that passes down from generation to generation. The discovery of Byzantine is due to the fall of Rome, but it did not prosper and build itself up because of the roman empire. All the things the Byzantine do is on their own account and not because of the superiority Romans had over
While Rome was being ramp sacked from Germanic and other barbaric groups, the imperial power shifted to the eastern part of the Roman Empire, where the center city was Byzantium (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009). Between 324 and 330 BCE, Constantine the Great became emperor and rebuilt the city and renamed it after himself (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009). After Constantine died, power shifted to Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora in 527 BCE (Craig/Graham/Kagan/Ozment /Turner, 354, 2009).
In the year 330 Constantine founded a new imperial city in the east, which became known as Constantinople. Accompanying Diocletian's system of tetrarchy, the creation of this new city affirmed the separation of the Roman Empire into the east and the west. The Eastern Roman Empire held a series of advantages over the west both socially and economically. The Western Roman Empire was the weaker empire and a bad leadership and government along with attacks from barbarians led to the demise of the Western Roman Empire.
The Byzantine Empire, the eastern half of the Roman Empire, flourished as an impressive medieval civilization. This empire was rich with geography, culture, and trade connections due to its location in Constantinople, the isthmus between Asia and Europe. It also lasted for over a thousand years and reached its height and glory during the sixth century, under the reign of Justinian I (Justinian the Great) and his empress, Theodora. They both came from the lower class and gained status to work their way to being rulers of the empire. Justinian and Theodora are important figures in history because they ruled the Byzantine Empire at its height and made many reforms during that time which many still exist today.
Though one should consider the argument by some historians that the Byzantine Empire was really a continuation of the Roman empire and not in fact a new entity. The Byzantine Empire had been formed in Late Antiquity by the splitting of the Roman empire between the two heirs of Theodosius I. While the two halves retained some ties for all intents and purposes the two were independent entities after 395 CE. While the Western Empire continued to decline, the Byzantines actually flourished and by the 4th century included the Balkans, Greece, Anatolia (Asia Minor), the Levant, and parts of North Africa including Egypt. While Byzantium’s power fluctuated, especially during conflicts with the Islamic civilization and during internal wars, for the majority of its history the Byzantine Empire was a strong political, cultural and economic power in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Significant conflicts in the 11th century caused the Byzantine Empire to decline and this decline was made worse by the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 by the Venetian Crusaders. After this defeat, Byzantium was split into two portions and remained so until 1261 when it was reunified. However, the damage was done and internal conflict and civil war continued to plague the Empire until it ultimately was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in
However, despite his internal flaws and choices, the Byzantine Empire made many great achievements under his reign. From the scattered beliefs of the people to one single faith, to the law code that erased all confusion regarding citizens and clarified them, to the lands of the West that were reconquered, and to the construction of ingenious and beautiful structures that astound people to this day. He made three great contributions, the creation of marvelous structures and cities such as Constantinople, a foundation built upon a single faith in God, and the Justinian Code. His political and social reforms, economic successes, and military conquests mark his legacy as a testament to the creation of a new Byzantine Empire.
They began to take rent from the people who lived there, place taxes on local markets and tollbooths were placed at the entrance to the cities. This all helped to create the fiscal-military state which made it possible for rulers to pay their armies and guards with cash. It was the conquering of the Byzantine Empire that helped to make money more accessible to the Ottoman Empire, the Byzantine Empire was part of the Roman Empire which was the longest lasting Empire and most likely more advance than some of the smaller Empires. Metals such as silver, lead, and iron were necessary to keep enough money to pay the armies their salaries. The Ottomans took over the silver, iron and lead mines in Serbia and Bosnia making them the masters of metal production. Both the Habsburgs and the Ottomans used large amounts of gold and silver to purchase firearms, cannons and ships to conquer the world.
The Roman Empire is known as one of the most powerful and influential empires the world has ever seen. At it’s height, this Empire had peace, economic prosperity and was expanding. Roman cities contributed to a fair amount of this success because they contributed to many advances during Pax Romana and united the empire. After the fall of the Empire, Christianity survived because although the empire separated into many kingdoms they were still being influenced by the religion.
Constantinople was an economic hub because of its wealth. This came from the trade routes that passed through Constantinople to the Far East, distributing luxury items from spices, silks, rare woods, and perfumes. This profited the venders on the streets. But they were not just known for there money, they also were generous. They established poorhouses, hospitals, and orphanages. The Byzantines also carried on the Roman tradition of political involvement. The people of Constantinople would gather at chariot races so the emperor could address the people.
The Ottoman Empire impacted the creation of global history the most through its victories, trade, and religious identity. Not only did this empire last the longest; it was the strongest, too. Conquering most of Western Europe, the Middle East, and the Northern Stretch of Africa, the Ottoman Empire reached its peak in size and strength in 1683. In 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans. The Christians fled north to Moscow and Italy while Constantinople, the original home of the orthodox Christian church, became Muslim Istanbul. Through their capture of Constantinople, the Ottomans were the reason the orthodox Christian church is now in Vatican City. Their pushing of Christianity north also resulted in the renaissance, when art and culture flourished in Italy, from the rush of Christian scholars fleeing from the captured Constantinople. This greatly
...tinople also made sense, because first it was located on a peninsula, which made defending the capital easier. Secondly, since the capital was located on the frontiers of the Empire, reacting to external threats became much easier(The Fall of the Roman Empire). Even though moving the capital and splitting the Empire was ill advised for the Western Roman Empire, it did save the Eastern Roman Empire(Byzantine Empire) for the next 1000 years(The Fall of the Roman Empire).
After the collapse of Rome in 476, many changes were taking place in the world, affecting both politics and religion. The Roman Empire was under assault from both pagan and Muslim powers. A young emperor, Justinian took over the Byzantine throne, and was steadfast to rebuild Constantinople in all its glory and power. Infrastructure such as bridges, roads, and aqueducts were constructed. In additions, churches, monuments and monasteries figured prominently in these rebuilding efforts; religion and faith being an important element of a cohesive and unified society.
By 350 A.D., Constantinople was one of the world's greatest capitals. The city was located between Asia and Europe, making it a very diverse and strategic place. The many bodies of water surrounding the peninsula gave Constantinople many trade routes as well as protection. The famous walls were also built to further strengthen security. Constantinople eventually rose to a beautiful city of strength and wealth. Its Greek heritage separated itself from the West with their religion of Eastern Orthodoxy. Despite the power of Constantinople, unending attacks and problems would eventually weaken the city. The first major catastrophe took place in 542, when a plague struck and killed massive amounts of people. The recovery was very slow, and it allowed for countless attacks. For Constantinople, however, it was just the beginning.
...ir religion upon the people (325). Thus, these peoples found refuge in Muslims from Byzantine oppression (325). Muslim conquerors tolerated other religions and offered protection for many peoples (326). Christian Europe developed a lasting fear and suspicion of the Muslims as they were assaulted and challenged by them at all fronts (326) In both the east and west the Muslim invasion was confronted and halted though contact between Muslims and Christians continued (326). Muslims regarded Byzantium “as a model to learn from and improve upon” (326). Despite the differences between the Christian west and the Muslim world, there was creative interchange between the two (326). Sine the Arabs were more advanced, the West benefited from this interchange most (326).
Decrease in population made it more difficult to have a strong military. The army that was already intact was demanding payment which greatly weakened the budget of Rome. Collecting taxes became harder thus causes the economy to decline. This inevitably made it easy for the Germanic tribes to invade the Mediterranean. Constantine and Diocletian slowed down the rate of decline in Rome by allowing Christianity, trying to improve tax collection, and the creation of a second capitol in Constantinople. This only sped up the rate of decline in the western half of the empire, but strengthening the eastern half. The only surviving portion of the empire was now known as the Byzantine Empire with its capitol Constantinople.