The Byzantine Empire 330‐1453
• 330 AD Emperor Constantine moved the capital of Roman Empire to Byzantium • Constantine renamed the city Constantinople
The Great Schism • Byzantines developed their own form of Christianity • Patriarch did not accept the Pope in Rome as his superior • In 1054 the two churches official broke – Eastern Orthodox – Roman Catholic Church
Byzantine influence on Russia • Russian culture is a blending of Slavic and Byzantine traditions • Orthodox Christianity and Cyrillic alphabet were introduced into Russia
The Byzantine Legacy 1. Preserved Ancient Cultures – Ancient Greek and Roman texts were saved 2. New Form of Christianity 3. Code of Justinian – Emperor Justinian took Roman laws and make one legal code which influenced later Western legal systems 4. The Arts – Mosaics, painted icons, gold jewelry, silks – Hagia Sophia