Byzantine Empire Flashcards

Fall of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire Overview

• Emperor Constantine established a "New Rome" at Byzantium, leading to the eventual fall of Western Roman Empire in 476, while the Eastern Roman Empire thrived for another thousand years.
• The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453 after the Ottoman army stormed Constantinople during the reign of Constantine XI.

Geographic and Strategic Significance of Byzantium

• Byzantium served as a crucial transit and trade point between Europe and Asia, enhancing its strategic importance.
• Constantinople's location on a strait made it difficult to conquer and supported a stable administrative center and economic resources.

Religion and Cultural Influence

• Christianity was established as Rome's official religion in 325 at the Council of Nicaea, marking a significant cultural shift from previous pagan practices.
• Byzantine culture blended Christian, Greek, and Latin traditions, with Greek being the official language after Justinian's rule.

Byzantine Empire's Longevity

• The Byzantine Empire was the only organized state west of China to survive from ancient times into the modern age, benefiting from geographic defenses and economic stability.
• Rulers could exert control over economic resources and conscript sufficient manpower to defend against invasions.

Major Rulers and Accomplishments

• Justinian I (527-565) is noted for monumental construction like the Hagia Sophia and for codifying Roman law that influenced future legal systems.
• Under Justinian's rule, the Byzantine Empire expanded but faced financial strains leading to excessive taxation and military overstretch.

Conflict and Decline

• The empire began losing territories in Syria, the Holy Land, Egypt, and North Africa due to assaults by Muslim armies.
• Debt incurred from wars led to economic troubles and administration difficulties, which contributors to the empire's decline post-Justinian.

Cultural and Religious Movements

• A major conflict arose with Iconoclasm, initiated by Leo III, challenging the veneration of religious icons until resolution in 843.
• The Byzantine Empire's golden age fostered artistic patronage and study of ancient Greek literature, though it controlled less territory than at the peak.

The Crusades and Byzantine Relations with the West

• The Crusades (1095-1291) were military campaigns initiated to aid the Byzantine Empire against Turkish threats, yet they heightened animosity between Byzantium and Western Christians.
• Emperor Alexios I sought assistance from Pope Urban II, marking the beginning of the Crusades motivated by religious and territorial objectives.

Final Years and Legacy of the Byzantine Empire

• The empire's economy suffered catastrophic decline under the Palaiologan emperors, culminating in the siege of Constantinople and its fall in 1453 to Mehmed II.
• Despite its fall, Byzantine culture, particularly its Orthodox religious practices and contributions to literature and theology, influenced many Eastern European nations.