Fall of Rome/Byzantine World 1 Quiz (Stearns)

Western Roman Empire

finally fell for many reasons in 476 AD, nearly 150 years after the establishment of Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople served as the seat or capital of the Byzantine Empire up until the conquest of the Ottoman Turks in 1453 CE. Constantinople preserved Greco-Roman culture through: libraries the preserved the works of Greek and Roman intellectuals, promotion of public debates, promoting advancements in science and philosophy. Passing Greco-Roman culture onto their Muslim conquerors, the Ottoman Turks. Constantinople's location also served as a center for trade in the east. At the time Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) had immense wealth and manpower.

Constantine

In 330 CE, emperor Constantine made the city of Byzantium the capital of the Roman Empire. Which the renamed Constantinople. What did Constantine move the capital from Rome to constantinople? Constantinople was distant from Germanic invaders in the west. It provided protection on the eastern frontier. It's location served as a crossroads for trade between Europe and Asia. The city was easily fortified along a peninsula.

Diocletian

In November of 284 A.D., Diocletian, a forceful Roman general, seized power and declared himself the new emperor. One of his earliest orders was to split the Roman Empire in two. He kept the eastern part and gave the western half to his colleague, Maximian.

Justinian

Justinian is largely regarded as the greatest ruler of the Byzantines. Once Justinian became ruler he made one last attempt to reunite the whole Roman Empire, under his rule. While the reunification of Rome did not last, he was largely successful during his reign. Justinian was able to conquer much of the former Roman territories in Italy and Africa. He also paid off the Frankish rulers in Gaul for their support. Justinian's military campaigns also greatly expanded trade and wealth with the Byzantine Empire, leading to a Golden Age in Byzantine history. Justinian's success as recruiting former Roman territory was celebrated with the construction of the Church of Holy Wisdom, or the Hagia Sophia. Perhaps the greatest contribution of Justinian was his codification of the Roman Laws (twelve Tables). Justinian collected and revised (amended) the Roman Law and created what became known as Justinian's Code. Justinian's Code served to unite the empire and became the basis for all legal systems in the western world. (527-565 CE/AD)

Fall of Rome

The empire fell because of corruption, barbarian attacks, constant change over of rulers, and being to large. But Rome didn't disappear from the map in 476. Byzantine laster another 1000 years in the eastern Roman Empire. The german customs and languages replaced much of Roman culture, old roman cities crumbled and roads disappeared.

Theodora

Theodora was the wife, top adviser and eventually emperor of Justinian. Theodora came from humble a background and had a checkered past for the time. She had a child out of wedlock and was an actress and erotic dancer. Theodora was a skilled politician and intelligent diplomat. So much so that the people of Constantinople believed it was she who ruled, rather than Justinian. When a rival emperor used forces to overthrow Justinian it was Theodora who convinced him to stay and fight for his throne. Theodora successfully passed laws that prohibited the trafficking of young girls and also altered divorce laws, which gave greater benefits to women

Byzantine Empire

the society that developed in the eastern Roman Empire after the fall of the western Roman Empire

Eastern Roman Empire

thrived and became the Byzantine Empire