Traditions and Encounters Study Guide

Sharmie Azurel
10.10.16

Chapter 13: Commonwealth of Byzantium

Terms and Concepts
A. Caesaropapism
power centralized in Emperor figure
cant claim divinity, rather divine authority
political/religious rule
absolute authority
creates dissent in Byzantine church
B. Byzantine
meaning: unnecessary complexity and convolution
capital: Byzantium
political and economic powerhouse of post classical era
ConstantineConstantinople
renamed city to
moves capital at 340 CE
fell to Turks 1453
C. Copus iuris civilis
Body of Civil Law
the codification of Roman Law
under Justinian
influenced law codes throughout Europe
D. Iconoclasm
under Emperor Leo III
destruction of Icons after 726 CE // policy abandoned 843 CE
icons: religious articles due to claim of worship of physical idols
E. Excommunication
excommunicated
1054 CE Patriarch
and Pope
each other
refuse to recognize the others church as properly Christian
due to argument of hierarchy or jurisdiction
meaning : officially exclude (someone) from participation in the sacraments and
services of the Christian Church.

F. Fourth Crusade
crusade: vast military campaign to recapture Jerusalem and other sites holy to
Christians from Muslims
1202-1204 to move and recapture Constantinople
Venetian merchants
recaptured at 1261
G. Cyrillic Alphabet
created by St. Cyril and Methodius
for illiterate slavic people
adapted from Greek : sounds of Slavic languages
remained in use in Eastern Europe
replaced in the 20th century
still used in modern day Russia and parts of the Soviet Union

People
A. Constantine
Roman emperor who moved and used Byzantium as new imperial capital
named Byzantine after him
used strategic move for advantage of his empire
B. Justinian
the sleepless emperor
wife Theodora
used army to contain tax riots, ambitious construction projects
built the Hagia Sophia under his rule
Codification of Roman Law
born into Macedonian peasant family
C. Theodora
wife and advisor of Justinian
previously a circus performer striptease artist
important and influential woman of Byzantine Empire
D. Anna Comnena
1083-1148
daughter of emperor Alexius I ( a caesaropapist)
wrote the Alexiad laudatory history of his fathers reign

discussed prosecution of 1110 of Bogomil heretics who revived the dualist teachings
of Manichaeism

E. Belisarius
responsible of Byzantine conquests
withdrew from Sassanids and Slavs
reestablish Roman authority in Mediterranean Basin
533 sent to campaigns and returned Italy, Sicily, NW Africa and S Spain
F. Charlemagne
800 received imperial crown from Pope in Rome
a Frankish ruler
challenged Byzantine claims to imperial authority over Western lands
G. Otto of Saxony
962 lodged claim to rule as emperor over western lands of Roman empire
attacked lands in Southern Italy (under Byz. rule)
H. Benjamine of Tudela
Spanish rabbi
traveled Europe, North Africa, and SW Asia (1165-1173)
recorded conditions of Jewish communities
described Constantinople as magnificent even during its period of decline
I.

Liudprand of Cremona
ambassador sent by Otto to a diplomatic mission in 968
despised Byzantine greatly
created the tenor of relations between Byzantium and W European lands

J. Leo III
Byzantine emperor (717-741 CE)
inaugurated Iconoclasm (refer to iconoclasm)
K. St. Basil of Caesarea
329-379 CE
patriarch of Constantinople
urged to adapt effective forms of dedication to Christianity
founded Basilian monasteries

L. Prince Vladimir
989 converted to Orthodox Christianity
a drunk and had a harem of 800 girls
took Byzantine influence in Russia: Cyrillic alphabet, literacy, Orthodox

Possible Essay Questions

1.

The Byzantine empires social structure is begins with its principal ruler, a caesaropapist emperor who
was involved into ecclesiastical and political affairs. The rest of the its political structure falls into three tiers, the
high class with aristocrats, wealthy landowners, military officers, and trusted political officials or bureaucrats. In
its middle class had medium landowners, merchants, craftsmen and artisans. At its very bottom involved
consisted paupers and low wage earners as well as the free peasants. Although indistinctly not part of the social
structure, the Byzantine empire has slaves but can often work their way off for their freedom. Another aspect of
the empires social structure is its clergies. Clergies fell into both high and middle class but didnt form an entirely
separate class even if they had special privileges living in a immensely religious empire.
The
was a reorganization of the Byzantine society which put generals responsible for both
military defense and civil administration. Later altering and maybe even challenged the rule of an emperor and
loyalty in certain regions.
The peasants slowly became a very important aspect of the Byzantine empire. They were labeled as the
backbone of the military system and was used for conquests around the Mediterranean basin. Large estates
poor contribution to the tax system led to the decline of free peasantry simultaneously leading to the decline of
the theme system.
2.

The Great Schism or split of the Roman Catholic Church and Greek Orthodox Church was due to the
differences and disagreements on both sides of the true jurisdiction in the Byzantine empire and western Roman
empire. As the pope and the patriarch excommunicated each other it led to the official schism of the two churches.
The distance and rule over the empire's, cultural differences, lay people, and the challenge of the true hierarchy
led to the fundamental split.

3.

Byzantium was like a bridge to middle ages because many inventions were created, new languages
came about, new art and other things made it advance during its time. It was the most relevant empire and
civilization during the post classical area and provided a transition through its social, economic and cultural
legacies such as religion. Byzantium survives and thrives through its influence even in the modern world.