Byzantine/Moslem Civilizations

1
Byzantine/Moslem Civilizations
2
I. Fall of Rome
a. Where did things go wrong?
-After Constantine, Roman Empire declined
rapidly -395, permanently split into two parts
(east and west)
b. People were afraid of a group known as the
Huns
Huns came from central Asia (moved toward
Hungary), everyone afraid of their reputation.
c. Barbarians started running from the Huns
-Visigothsgtgtgtdid not want to fight wanted to
relocate to Rome Emperor Valensgtgtgt let them in
so Huns would be tired of fighting
them first, ended up fighting
them -Vandalsgtgtgt only barbarian group that
learned to sail, vandalized -Burgundians gtgtgtmoved
into southern France -Franks gtgtgt Moved into
northern France -Angles, Saxons, and the Jutesgtgtgt
Moved into Britain (Angleland or
England)
3
d. All these problems and the Huns didnt even
attack yet
Their leader was Attila the Hun (Scourge of God)
marched into Gaul and was defeated, later into
Rome and was defeated. Roman Empire was all
but gone.
e. Last Emperor
Romulus Augustus, German princes 12-year-old
son Odovacar or Odoacer, removes him and places
himself, removing symbolic fall of Empire Period
of Middle Ages or the Dark ages begins
1500
500
Middle Ages
Ancient History
Modern Era
Fall of Rome
Renaissance
4
f. Reasons for the Fall of Rome

• No one reason
• 2. At the time, people would of blamed
  Christianity Later was considered
• one bright spot
• 3. Decline of Roman Economy
• 4. Large of Slaves
• 5. High unemployment
• 6. Soil extorted
• 7. Failure of Government to control military
• 8. Decline of small farmer
• 9. Weak Emperors

5
II. Eastern Roman Empire Justinian I
Only the western part of the Roman Empire fell in
476 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire or the
Byzantine Empire lasted for about 1000 more
years. Emperor Constantine started that empire
and its capital was the famous city of
Constantinople.
Western Roman Empire
Eastern Roman Empire
6
a. The fall leaves a bad taste in the East Roman
Empires mouth
The idea that Italy North Africa was lost was
hard to accept for the ERE. A series of weak
incompetent rulers in the east (476-527) tried
without any success to restore the west.
However, it was all but impossible at this point.
b. Reign of Justinian I (527-565)
When Justinian took over the throne of the ERE,
the west was briefly restored to Rome. Known as
The last Roman Emperor and the first Byzantine
Emperor. Justinian managed to re-conquer the
western part of the Empire.
7
c. What were the negative and positive results of
Justinian I?

• Negative
• drained the empire of both resources and manpower
• damaged the economy
• ignored growing threat of Persian Power in the
  East
• West was also different then before the fall
• Romans were now the minority among Germanic
  barbarian tribes.
• Despite his efforts, Rome was lost again.

• Positive
• Justinian Code- More on the long term
• Perfected the system of a strong monarchy
  central government.
• Revised the Roman law.
• organized all main laws of previous emperors
• handbook for laws students
• rulings of previous court cases of Rome
• Why is this important?
• It became the basis of Byzantine law until it
  fell in 1453 influenced the development of
  later legal systems in both Western Eastern
  Europe.

8
III. Eastern Roman Empire after Justinian I
Never have one ruler controlling both
sides ----395-1453.
a. Christianity was changing in the East
Christianity was splitting between the East and
West just like the empire. Language was
different. West (Rome)---Latin East
(Constantinople)---Greek The Church would be
the strongest in the West because the Emperor is
in the East. Emperor of the East saw the
church as part of the government and paid
their church officials. Emperor of the ERE really
got involved in religious issues.
9
b. The spread of a new religion effects the ERE

The religion was known as Islam and it begins
with Muhammad. Origins of Islam Muhammad was
born around 570 and died in 632 on the Arabian
Peninsula, Mecca. There are many desserts in
Mecca and people believed in Polytheism. A
black stone fell to the Earth and people thought
it was God worshipping a black stone. Muhammad
was born into this atmosphere. Muhammad came to
Syria, saw Judaism, Christianity. He became very
confused and went back to Mecca. He married a
wealthy widow, Khadijah (kha DEE jah), and it
gave him free time to think. He had a vision
There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is to be
his prophet. He must
spread his ideas.
10
He started to tell people about Allah w/ very
little success and in 622 people drove him out
of Mecca. He was hurting the tourist trade. He
then went to a local area of Medina. The people
did not know him, the Black Stone, and his
teachings were accepted. Religion then
spread. The year 622 then became Year 1 in Moslem
time. Islam religion followers became known as
Moslem Pillars of Faith have Five basic
believes 1. No God but Allah and Muhammad is his
prophet 2. One should pray 5x a day facing
Mecca 3. Help the poor/sharing 4. One must fast
during the month of Ramadan. 5. One should make
a pilgrimage to Mecca and kiss then Black
Stone (symbol of the religion).
Mohammed died in 632 and those who followed him
wrote down the beliefs in a book called the
Quran.
11
The Spread of Islam
12
(No Transcript)
13
c. Leo III (714-741)
ERE emperor, that felt the spread Islam. He also
looked at Christianity and saw two big
weaknesses. Historians criticize him for doing
or getting involved in the Popes job.
1. Growing wealth of Monasteries In the
monasteries, the learning was preserved (writing
down catholic teachings) and they worked on the
land outside and gave food to the poor. They
were asked to pray for children and given land to
do so or willed it. This land originally went to
the empire it was now given to the monks. With
all this land, they had no time for their
non-land duties (religious).
2. Increase of the worshipping of Icons
(Statues) Leo III felt that the people thought
the Icons were God or Saints. He wanted to get
rid of the Icons. Leo III called his men and
they destroyed the Icons. Someone who destroys
Icons is known as an Iconoclast. Iconoclast
controversy Pope did not want Leo III to destroy
them and he kept doing it. The Pope then
excommunicated Leo III. This split the Catholic
religion into two groups.
14
EastGreek Orthodox
WestRoman Catholic
The whole East was now cut off from the Church in
the West.
15
d. Basil II (976-1025) 1. The Bulgar Slayer The
Bulgars were giving him a hard time. The Bulgars
captured a of Greek soldiers and placed their
heads a wall. Basil II then captured 15000
Bulgarians and had 14900 blinded. He then
ordered then last 100 to have one eye blinded.
He sent the 100 w/ an eye to lead the 14900 back
home. The Tsar died of shock when shortly after
he saw this. Hw was a very cruel
individual. 2. Trade w/ Moscow Exchanged
cultures and ideas w/ Russia. He referred to
Moscow as the third Rome. Basil II died in 1025
and the Empire went downhill ever since.