18.3 Survival of the Eastern Empire and Roman legacy in Europe

The Byzantine Empire, a continuation of the Roman Empire in the East, survived for nearly a millennium after Rome's fall. It preserved Roman traditions, laws, and culture, centered around Constantinople. This empire played a crucial role in maintaining Roman legacy and influence.

Justinian I, a notable Byzantine emperor, expanded the empire and codified Roman law. The Corpus Juris Civilis became the foundation for many European legal systems. The Byzantine Empire's preservation of Roman administration, Christianity, and Greek language shaped European history and culture.

The Byzantine Empire

Continuation of the Roman Empire in the East

Top images from around the web for Continuation of the Roman Empire in the East

• 

  Byzantine Empire - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Constantinian and Valentinianic dynasties - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Constantinian and Valentinianic dynasties - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Continuation of the Roman Empire in the East

• 

  Byzantine Empire - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Constantinian and Valentinianic dynasties - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Byzantine Empire under the Constantinian and Valentinianic dynasties - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Byzantine Empire continued the traditions, laws, and culture of the Roman Empire in the eastern Mediterranean region after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE
• Centered around the capital city of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), which served as a major trade hub connecting Europe and Asia
• Survived for nearly a thousand years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, until the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 CE

Justinian I and the Expansion of the Byzantine Empire

• Justinian I, also known as Justinian the Great, ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 to 565 CE
• Ambitious ruler who sought to reconquer lost territories of the Western Roman Empire, including parts of Italy, North Africa, and Spain
• Launched military campaigns under the leadership of his general, Belisarius, which resulted in the temporary reconquest of significant portions of the former Western Roman Empire

Preservation and Codification of Roman Law

• Justinian I commissioned the codification of Roman law, resulting in the creation of the Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law)
• Corpus Juris Civilis consisted of four parts: the Code (imperial laws), the Digest (opinions of jurists), the Institutes (legal textbook), and the Novellae (new laws)
• Justinian's codification of Roman law served as the foundation for legal systems in many European countries and influenced the development of civil law traditions worldwide

Continuation of Roman Administration and Bureaucracy

• Byzantine Empire maintained the complex administrative structure and bureaucracy inherited from the Roman Empire
• Centralized government with a hierarchical system of officials, including the emperor at the top, followed by various levels of administrators, tax collectors, and military officers
• Efficient tax collection system and a professional army allowed the Byzantine Empire to maintain its power and influence in the region for centuries

Religion and Language

Christianity as the Official Religion

• Christianity became the official religion of the Byzantine Empire, with the emperor serving as the head of the church
• Byzantine church, also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church, developed distinct theological and liturgical traditions separate from the Roman Catholic Church in the West
• Religious art and architecture flourished in the Byzantine Empire, with the construction of grand churches and the creation of intricate mosaics and icons (Hagia Sophia)

Greek as the Predominant Language

• While the Western Roman Empire primarily used Latin, the Byzantine Empire adopted Greek as its official language
• Greek became the language of administration, literature, and religious texts in the Byzantine Empire
• Preservation of ancient Greek texts and the transmission of Greek knowledge to the Islamic world and later to Western Europe during the Renaissance

Roman Legacy in Europe

Influence on Architecture and Art

• Roman architectural styles, such as the use of arches, domes, and columns, continued to influence European architecture long after the fall of the Roman Empire
• Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles in medieval Europe drew inspiration from Roman architecture (aqueducts, amphitheaters)
• Roman art, particularly sculpture and mosaics, served as models for artists throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Development of Feudalism

• The collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the lack of a strong central authority led to the development of feudalism in Europe
• Feudalism was a social and political system based on the exchange of land for military service and loyalty
• Feudal lords provided protection and land to vassals in exchange for their allegiance and service, creating a hierarchical structure of power relationships

Concept of the Holy Roman Empire

• The idea of a Christian empire, modeled after the Roman Empire, persisted in Europe after the fall of Rome
• Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, was crowned as the first Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800 CE, establishing the Holy Roman Empire
• The Holy Roman Empire, which lasted until 1806, saw itself as the successor to the Roman Empire and aimed to unite Christian Europe under a single ruler

Rediscovery of Classical Knowledge during the Renaissance

• The Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in Italy in the 14th century, was characterized by a renewed interest in classical Greek and Roman knowledge
• Scholars and artists of the Renaissance sought to revive the ideas, art, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome
• The rediscovery and translation of ancient texts, particularly those preserved in the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world, played a crucial role in the spread of classical knowledge throughout Europe (works of Plato, Aristotle)