Byzantine Empire and Early Russia

Byzantine Empire and Early Russia Study Guide

• Constantinople was founded by Emperor Constantine.
• Roman features in Constantinople included public baths, forums, and aqueducts.
• The Hippodrome was a racetrack in Constantinople, similar to the Circus Maximus in Rome.
• Constantinople was strategically located and well-protected, making it a crossroads of trade.
• Traders came from as far as Timbuktu in Africa and traveled the Silk Road from China.
• The Byzantine Empire was known for universities, libraries, and illuminated manuscripts.
• These institutions preserved old Roman and Greek literature.
• Justinian revised old Roman laws into Justinian's Code.
• Justinian married Theodora, an influential empress.
• The laws form the basis of Western law, including notions of equality and being innocent until proven guilty.
• Justinian constructed the Hagia Sophia church.
• Later, when the Muslim Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia became a mosque.
• The Christian Church split over icons and doctrine during the Great Schism.
• The Church divided into the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East.
• After Constantinople fell, this Eastern Orthodox Church fled to Moscow and became the "Third Rome."
• The Slavs built Moscow after Mongols conquered their old capital, Kiev
• Ivan the Great, the first Czar, defeated the Mongols.

Geography of Byzantine Empire and Early Russia

• Key geographic features include the Dardanelles, Constantinople, Ural Mountains, steppe, Caspian Sea, and Black Sea.

Key Terms

• Edict of Milan: law legalizing Christianity in Rome
• Schism: a major division of a religion
• Icon: religious art
• Iconoclast: name for those who believe icons are wrong
• Orthodox: the Greek-speaking Eastern Christian Church
• Catholic: the Latin-speaking Western Christian Church
• Idolatry: religion where people worship statues as gods
• Clergy: religious officials in a faith like Catholic priests
• Monastery: a religious community dedicated to their faith
• Laity: common people in a religion

Review Game Questions - Byzantine Empire and Early Russia

• After the fall of Constantinople, the center of the Eastern Orthodox Church moved to Moscow.
• Byzantine literature that were hand-written and decorated are called Illuminated manuscripts.
• Most European legal systems are based on Justinian's Code.
• The Byzantine Empire came about after the fall of the Roman Empire.
• The Eastern Christian Church broke off and became the Orthodox Church.
• The official religion of the old Roman Empire was Christianity.
• The Slav territories were divided into regions called Steppe.
• The Western Christian Church broke off and became the Catholic Church.
• Those who believe the use of religious arts, such as icons, are against Christian teachings are called Iconoclasts.
• Justinian reconquered some of the former Roman Empire.
• Mongols invaded Russia.
• Constantinople is considered to be at "the crossroads of trade.”
• Constantinople was called the New Rome.
• The Byzantine Empire preserved Roman and Greek culture.
• The Edict of Milan officially legalized Christianity.
• The Hagia Sophia is the grand church that Justinian built.
• The capital of Russia today is Moscow.
• The Eastern Christian Church spoke Greek.
• The Western Christian Church spoke Latin.
• Prince Vladimir of Russia converted to Orthodox Christianity.
• The Laity refers to the common people within the Christian religion.
• Religious messages given by the clergy are called sermons.
• An important trade item in the Baltic Region was amber.
• The Slavs modified Greek alphabet is called Cyrillic.
• The geographical term for plains is steppe.
• The name of the racetrack in Constantinople is the Hippodrome.
• The branch of Christianity that allows priests to marry is Orthodox.
• The branch of Christianity that does not allow priests to marry is Catholic.
• The Slavs formed a political alliance with the Vikings.
• The Ottoman Turks eventually captured Constantinople in 1453 by using cannons to break through the walls.
• Justinian's wife was Theodora.
• The capital of the Byzantine Empire was named after Constantine.
• Ivan the Great was the first Slav leader to claim the title of Czar.
• The leader of the Eastern Christian Church is the Patriarch.
• The leader of the Western Christian Church is the Pope.