Byzantine
word used by historians to describe the eastern Roman empire after the fall of the western Roman empire.
Strait
narrow body of water that cuts through lands, connecting two larger bodies of water
Moat
trench filled with water as part of a fortification
Greek fire
a chemical mixture that burned in water which was used by the Byzantine empire against enemy ships. (it even burned in water)
Creed
statement of beliefs
Icon
a holy image, usually a portrait of Jesus or a saint
Iconoclast
image-breaker," person who opposed the use of icons in Christian worship
Pope
leader of the Roman Catholic Church
Great Schism
split between the Easter Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in 1054.
Justinian's Code
a law code published by the Byzantine emperor Justinian
missionary
someone who tries to convert others to a particular religion
Cyrillic alphabet
alphabet used mostly for Slavic languages such as Russian and Bulgarian, as well as for others languages
Hagia Sophia
the empires central church
Vikings
The Rus a people from northern Europe, they joined with the Slavs to form Kievan Rus
tsar
title Russian emperors used, the Russian version of Caesar ( a title used by Roman and Byzantine Emperors
A typical resident thought of themselves as a Roma, they were Christians, and they spoke Greek
Describe the typical resident of the Byzantine Empire.
The place where Constantinople was built, Byzantium
Where does the name Byzantine come from?
It was on a peninsula so they had good natural defense, and it was in the middle of everything so it was easier to travel and trade
Why did Constantine decide to build Constantinople along the Bosporus Strait?
Because it was on a peninsula and they had less land to defend, also their land was all together not in many different places throughout the continent
Why would Constantinople be easier to defend than Rome?
They came from lower-class families of little wealth and status
What made Justinian and Theodora unusual as rulers?
On one side of the Bosporus is Asia and on the other side is Europe
What is unique about the Bosporus strait?
To restore Rome's lost empire
What was Justinian's goal for the Byzantine Empire?
He had his generals win back lands around the Mediterranean
How did Justinian try to achieve his goal?
They were Turkish-Ottoman, they didn't speak Greek, they were Muslims, not Christians, and they used gunpowder and canons
What were the people like that eventually took over the Constantinople?
Some Christians believed that honoring an icon was a pathway to God. While others thought that praying to icons seemed like worshiping objects, which was forbidden in the Bible.
What was the controversy about icons about?
Justinian died
Which of the following was a major factor in the decline of the Byzantine Empire?
He restored Rome's lost empire for a little bit, he rebuilt Hagia Sophia (the empire's central church), and he wrote important laws
Which of the following statements correctly describes Justinian's impact on the Byzantine Empire?
It allowed them to shoot down the walls that protected the city because the walls were built before the invention of gunpowder, so they weren't built to withstand shots of gunpowder
How did the invention of gunpowder contribute to the Ottomans' conquest of Constantinople?
He was the head of the church, and the Patriarch of Constantinople was the highest official under him
What power did the Byzantine emperor have over the Patriarch of Constantinople?
Hagia Sophia- the empire's central church
What is an important example of Byzantine architecture?
That which seems good to the emperor has the force of law
Justinian's Code said that
The Byzantine Empire preserved and updated Roman law, this was mainly the doing of emperor Justinian.
How did the Byzantine Empire affect the system of Roman law?
Hagia Sophia- cross shaped floor plan with a dome shaped high ceiling, and windows and hanging lamps filled the church with light.
What are examples of important features of Byzantine architecture?
They turned it into a mosque, or an Islamic house of worship and they built the towers that stand around the building.
How did the famous church of Constantinople change after the Ottomans took over?
Because Justinian found the vast legal legacy he inherited from Rome to be a confusing jumble of local laws, imperial decrees, and judges' decisions
Why did Byzantine lawyers try to organize a new system of laws?
The two missionary brothers Cyril and Methodius
Who were saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church and invented an alphabet that is still used today?
By Eastern Orthodox missionaries
What is a way Byzantine culture spread?
Because it is based on the Greek alphabet like English is
How is the Cyrillic alphabet similar to the English?
It allowed them to understand what the missionaries were telling them and it gave them an alphabet to use
How did the Cyrillic alphabet change life for the Slavs?
A group of Vikings called the Rus who joined forces with the Slavs to create a large state based in the city of Kiev in what would become Russia and the Ukraine. They traded with the Byzantine Empire and eventually became Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Who were the Kievan Rus and where did they live? How was it similar to the Byzantine Empire?