BYZANTINE EMPIRE
Standard:SSWH4a. Analyze the importance of Justinian, include the influence of the Empress Theodora, Justinian’s
Code, and Justinian’s efforts to recapture the west.
b. Describe the relationship between the Roman and Byzantine Empires; include the impact
Byzantium had on Moscow and the Russian Empire, the effect of Byzantine culture on Tsar
Ivan III and Kiev, and the rise of Constantinople as a center for law, religion, and the arts.
c. Explain the Great Schism of 1054 CE
What am I learning today? What was geographic and cultural significance of Constantinople to the Byzantine Empire?
How did Justinian continue to carry on the legacy of the Roman Empire?
How did the Great Schism impact Christianity?
In what ways did the Byzantine Empire influence Russia?
capital: ______
JUSTINIAN 527-565 AD
role in Byzantine Empire: ______
type of government: ______
influence of Roman Empire on Byzantine Empire:
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new or lasting contributions:
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______
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specific buildings: ______
“warriors” symbolize state
Church officials = symbolize church
mosaics -______
THEODORA 527-565 AD
role in Byzantine Empire: ______
new or lasting contributions:
- ______
- ______
- ______
RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE:
Great Schism - ______
Orthodox Christianity - ______
______
Cyrillic Alphabet - ______
RELIGIOUS IMPACT ON ART AND ARCHITECTURE
icons- ______
illuminated manuscripts - ______
Directions: Read the documents below to understand the impact the Byzantine had on the Kievan Russia.
During the 6th and 7th centuries, Scandanavian (a.k.a Vikings) traders transported goods to and from Constantinople. They traveled through an area of present day Russia so frequently that communities and a primitive government began to form. It was along these trade routes that city-states arose. Eventually, Kiev became the most important city-state and the Kievan prince became the most powerful in the region. The Kievan region often operated as a loose confederation of states.
These Scandanavians even coined the word Russia. They may have even gotten it from the Greek (the Byzantine language) word for red, which was the hair color of many of the Viking traders.
Around 855 a Scandanavian man named Rurik became the first Russian king and Kiev became the center of early Russia.As city of Kiev grew the Viking nobles intermarried with their Slavic subjects and adopted many aspects of Slavic culture. Gradually the line between Slavic and Vikings vanished. A descendant of Rurik, Vladimir I, who ruled from 980 to 1015, converted early Russia to Christianity after sending out teams to observe the major religions of the times. Three of the teams returned with lukewarm accounts of Islam, Judaism, and Western Christianity. But the team from Byzantium (old name for Constantinople) told quite a different story:
The Greeks led us to the [buildings] where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We only know that God dwells there among mean, and …we cannot forget the beauty.
Although Kiev’s proximity and contact with Byzantium is largely responsible for the conversion to Christianity, one account states that Vladimir chose Christianity over Islam because he could not accept a religion that rejected alcohol.(Islam)
Kievan Russia was deeply influenced by Byzantine culture. The Russians took their style of architecture and much of their alphabet from the Byzantines. They also patterned their systems of law, money, and art and literature after Byzantine models. Prince Vladimir married the sister of a Byzantine emperor. This brought peace and promoted trade between the Russians and the Byzantines. Probably the most important influence was religious. After Vladimir converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith, Byzantine priests moved into Russia. The Byzantines then had a strong over religious beliefs and practices in Russia.
IMPACT OF BYZANTINE EMPIRE ON KIEVAN RUSSIA
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Directions: Read the documents below to understand the impact the Byzantine had on the Ivan III of Russia.
Kievan Russia declined in the 12th century because of internal problems and the Mongol invasions. The Mongols were nomadic warriors from Central Asia. By helping the Mongols collect taxes and crush Russian rebellions, Ivan I + II of Moscow became the most powerful Russian princes under Mongol rule. Ivan I was able to convince the leading bishop of the Orthodox Church to move out of Kiev and to Moscow. Now Moscow had money, power, and the Church on their side.
Ivan III, which inherited the wealth and power of his father and grandfather, decided to break from Mongol control. He took the name czar, the Russian version of Caesar, and publicly claimed his intent to make Russia the “Third Rome.” In 1480, Ivan made a final break with the Mongols.
IMPACT OF BYZANTINE EMPIRE ON IVAN III OF RUSSIA
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