The Byzantine Empire

1. The Byzantine Empire By: Marcella Kingman Breeyonna Williams Zakariye Hassan

2. Slavery In The Empire • The empire had a system of slavery and slave markets • Slavery wasn't based on race, their were black and white slaves • Slavery wasn't permanant, a slave can buy his freedom by fighting battles or serving a high-class citizen for many years • Slaves built buildings like the Bazilla cistern that took over 7,000 slaves to build Slaves working for their masters

3. Rise And Fall • The Byzantine empire rose when the west part of the Roman empire fell and the east continued as the Byzantine empire • They had conqured Italy, the Southeastern coast of Spain, much of Northern Africa, and Rome • The empire fell when struggles for power happened and crusaders attacked. • The crusaders conqured the empire • The Byzantine empire was surrounded by water so they could escape and have a better chance of not being conqured Picture of where Byzantine empire stood

4. Government • The Byzantine empire had emperors for rulers and a bureaucrat government where state officials made decisions • The imperial court was the heart of the empire and represented the Byzantine empire • They used Justinian's code, a revision of the Roman law, and the later codex of 534 which had 12 books and 4652 laws Image of the Byzantine Imperial court

5. Economy • The bulk of the economy was trade since Constantiople was a main trading city and because they had close access to water pathways • The economy also affected the social classes for the poor and the entrepreneurs since both classes were directly affected by money Image of Byzantine trade routes

6. Contributions • The Byzantines left us with many buildngs to admire such as the Hagia Sophia. Because of their location on the coast, the empire kind of was a sheild for Europe during that time • The Byzantines helped preserve Roman objects and culture • The Byzantines left us witn lots of art and architecture that helps us learn about their lifes style and religion • They also helped spread and preserve Christian religion Map of Byzantine empire

7. Golden Age • The empire had 3 golden ages • All were centered around art and architecture • The first golden age lasted from 527-726, during that golden age the Hagia Sophia was built • The first golden age declined because church officials thought that the artwork would inspire people into a Greek or Roman polyheistic religion • The next golden age lasted from 843-1204, the capitol Constinople was very rich so the Byzantines could afford great art • The golden age ended in 1204 when Venetian crusaders captured the capitol, the were driven out in 1261 begining a new golden age where things were rebuilt. This golden age ended with the civilizations decline in 1453 The Hagia Sophia created in the first golden age

8. Writing • The Byzantines used the Greek language and alphabet • It developed since their current alphabet had too many consants • Their alphabet was transformed into Latin and then to English which explains how we can understand their language today This is the Greek alphabet which was used by the Byzantines

9. Art and Architeture • To show their devotion to God, the Byzantines built elaborate works of art • Some of their finest works of art included mosaics, some had gold, silver, or jewels embeddded in them • They pained frescos, water based paints on freshly applied plaster, the result is the colors are permanlty attached to the floors, walls, roof, etc. • On the outside churches were richly deorated • From their art we can learn that religion is VERY important to the Byzantines A fresco from a Byzantine church

10. Religion/Belifs • The Byzantine were faithful Christians, religion was the center of their life • They were monotheistic, only beliving in God • The eastern king had both political and religious power • The Western king only had political power • The split between the east and the west beame official in the 1000's • The priests in the east could get married while the priests in the west couldn't This is a Byzantine church

11. Technology • One innovation that they made was the fire/flamethrowers, which was used as a weapon in wars and battles • The Byzantines did have a calander which was used by the Orthodox church in the empire • Their irragation system involved switching around farmland • The Byzantines did build a dome (which was very challenging) even though the original idea wasn't theirs • The buildings were usally two stories and box shaped • The roads were based off the Romans, they used either marble or regular stone The Hagia Sophia dome

12. Sources • Cooper, Kennth S. "Byzantine Empire." The New Book Of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2014 Web. 28 Apr. 2014 • Martell Bahn, Hazel Paul M. "The Kingfisher Book of The Ancient World" New York, Kingfisher Publication 1995 Print • Salter, Christopher L. "Eastern World Africa, Asia, and Australia" Austin, Texas, Holt, 2008, Print • Cooper, Kenneth S. "Byzantine Empire" The New Book Of Knowledge, Grolier Online, 2014 Web, April 24, 2014, go.grolier.com • Jenkins, Romilly, JH. "Byzantine Empire" Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier Online, 2014 Web, April 28, 2014, go.grolier.com • Rowland, Benjamin, Jr. "Byzantine Art and Architecture" The New Book of Knowledge, Grolier Online, 2014 Web April 28, 2014, go.grolier.com • Nees, Lawrence "Byzantine Art and Architecture" Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, go.grolier.com