Byzantines

The "Greek Fire". This was a weapon used by the Byzantines typically in naval battles. The ingredients and manufacture of this weapon were carefully guarded military secrets. So strictly guarded, that the composition of the Greek fire was lost, and it is still a source of speculation today. It provided a technological advantage, and was responsible for the many Byzantine military victories, especially the salvation of their capital, Constantinople, to be seized by the Arabs, twice.



The location of Constantinople was both dangerous and beneficial. Beneficial, because it was well located for trading. It had access from Africa, Asia and other parts of Europe. Dangerous, because it was surrounded and easily accesible by Islam, that was spreading really fast. ﻿Pages 194-198 outlines


 * The Byzantine Empire **

__Origins of the Empire __  __﻿__

The Byzantine Empire began in the 4th century C.E. when the Romans set up the new capital in **Constantinople.** Constantinople became the most vigorous center of the imperial Roman structure. Separate eastern emperors ruled from this new metropolis. They warded off invading Huns, and enjoyed a solid tax base in agriculture of the Eastern Mediterranean. Constantinople controlled the **Balkan Peninsula, north Middle East, the Mediterranean coast and north Africa.** Latin was the official language, until after emperor **Justinian,** Greek became the official language. Scholars were able to read the ancient Athenian philosophical and literary classics from the Hellenistic period. The empire had benefits from the high levels of commerce long present in the Eastern Mediterranean. New administrators and traders came from Egypt and Syria. They constituted the expanding bureaucracy of the Byzantine rulers. Recruited armies in the Middle East to defend from invasions. Politics: complex administration around a remote emperor, surrounded by ceremonies.

__ Justinian’s Achievements __

In 533 C.E. Justinian tried to reconquer western territory, resembling the old Roman empire. He was heavily influenced by his wife, **Theodora,** eager for power. His contributions lay in rebuilding Constantinople: ravaged by earlier riots against high taxes, and systematizing the legal code. He extended roman architecture. **Hagia Sophia**, one of the new structures. Achievement in engineering as well. The codification of Roman law helped to unify, to reduce confusion, and organize the new empire. The code helped spared legal principles in various parts of Europe. In military field: he wanted to recapture the old Roman empire. With **Belisarius,** new gains were made in north Africa and Italy. His own ambitions had weakened the empire. Persia attacked in the northern Middle East. Although Justinian created a new line of defense and even pushed Persian forces back, some Middle Easter territory was lost. All these wars, created new tax pressures on the government.

﻿__DAY 2 Homework__ Justinian document #1 marked up. media type="custom" key="7450107" width="400" height="400" Summary:  This part of the law addressed what are the types of law and, more specifically, the relations withing byzantines. When Justinian took the throne, the society was in chaos. We can infere this since the laws he wrote. This parts talks about the laws: natural law, common law, and the civil law. The natural law, being the given to us. The one we are programated to. The common law, the one who is present in all nations, because is for all groups of people. The civil law, or local law, the one that is specifically for one state. He also wrote about the relations within byzantines, specifically marriage. He wrote the severe restrictions of who can marry to whom.

Justinian code #2 media type="custom" key="7471149" width="310" height="310" This part of the code talks about property rights. It clearly states how a person can become the owner of the things he builds, creates, or has in his own land. It also states under which circumstances the person who thinks is the owner, is not the real owner, and becomes a thief. It also addreses, in an indirect way, the right to free trade and use of the resources within the territory.

Doc 3: obligations between sellers and customers the merchant and the purchaser need a contract with each other. If the person dies, the inherited carry on the deal. Merchants do not take responsibility. The purchasers can give it back if you don't what you wanted. Emphasis on honest and fair trading.

__Summary of the entire law __ <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This law was created for a very chaotic society. Because of the nature of these laws, we can infere that the society was facing many problems, within itself. Justinian saw the need to enforce these laws to bring order to the society.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">DAY 3

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">1. Who were Cyril and Methodius? What did they accomplish? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">2. How did events in the Middle East affect the demographics of the East Central borderlands? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3. Outline the development of the Kievan Rus <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">4. What important decision was made by Vladimir I? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">5. What were some of the major similarities and differences between Byzantium and the Kievan Rus? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6. What factors led to the decline of the Kievan Rus?

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Read and summarize the main points of "Eastern and Western Europe: The Problem of Boundaries" p.208 <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">1. Cyril and Methodius were Byzantine missionaries. They were sent by the government in 864 to what is now Czech and Slovak republics, and southern Russia. They devised a written script for the Slavic language. Like this, the possibility of literature and some literacy developed in eastern Europe. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">2. Eastern Europe had a very important Jewish influence. They were migrating away from the Middle East. Poland received the largest Jew concentration. They preserved their own culture, that distinguished them from other societies o the time. Due to this migration, the population was becoming more diverse. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3. Some Slavic people moved into the plains of Russia during the time of the Roman empire. They mixed with the people that was already there, and developed their culture. They had their own religion, and already used agriculture and iron. However, during the 6th and 7th centuries, Scandinavian peoples began to settle in the shores of the great rivers of western Russia. Through this route, trade developed between Scandinavia and Constantinople. This led to the growth of such settlements, especially in the city of Kiev. A monarchy emerged and like this, a new state existed.. The contacts between Kievan Rus’ and Byzantium extended very quickly. The city became a prosperous trading center. After the prince, Vladimir I adopted Christianity to the whole Kiev Rus’, it became the largest single state in Europe. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">4. Vladimir I was the Kievan Rus’ prince who adopted orthodox Christianity. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">5. Kievan Rus’ resembled the Byzantines in many ways. First of all, they adopted Byzantine Christianity. They also had Byzantine influence in their architecture and literature. And the most significant is that resemblance of the first Russian law code on the Justinian code of law. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6. When Constantinople fell, it severely affected Kiev Rus’. That was because Kie Rus’ was completely dependent on the trade of Byzantium. It reduced their wealth. They were also weakened by invaders from Asia, like the Mongols (tartars), who held the power for over two centuries.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">SUMMARY IN DEPTH <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">During the early centuries of the common era, europe was divided into two main civilizations, that eventually emerged from the same. This two civilizations had different features and tried to conquer as much territory as they could. However, in some territory, the two civilizations met, and had to mix with each other, leading to the formation of some states that were partially of one or the other.

__<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">30 WORD SUMMARY OF CHAPTER __ <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The byzantine empire constituted the eastern European civilization. Its capital, Constantinople, was the largest city of the time. It developed trade with Asia and Scandinavia, through Kiev Rus'.