HY 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Anna Komnene, Sophia (Wisdom), Corpus Juris Civilis
30 May 2018
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Chapter 7 – Rome’s Three Heirs, 500 – 950
I.Justinian's Imperial Ambitions
A. Responsible for the political division of Rome
B. Believed he was heir of the Principate established by Augustus
C. Codified Roman law
1. Law had become self-contradictory
2. Brought existing precedent into line with present circumstances
3. Compiles the Corpus Juris Civilis
4. Influenced legal system of many nations
D. Dissolution of Roman Empire into Rome, Byzantium, and North Africa
II. The Byzantine Empire
. A successor to the Roman state
A. Justinian and Heraclius
B. Threats and challenges
1. The Persians
a. Theft of the relic of the original cross
b. Heraclius routs the Persians (627)
2. Islam
. By 650, Arabs had taken back most of the Byzantine territory that was formerly Persian
a. Jerusalem in the hands of the Muslims
b. Constantinople threatened (677)
c. Pope Leo the Isaurian defeats Arabs on land and at sea (717)
3. Seljuk Turks
. Battle of Manzikert (1071)
a. The fall of Byzantine civilization (1453)
C. Sources of stability
1. Why did Constantinople survive?
2. Internal political history, the story of violence and palace revolts
3. Efficient bureaucratic practices
. Education
a. Religion
b. Economic activity
c. Entertainment
d. The army and navy f . Sound economic base
e. Role of Constantinople as trade emporium
f. Stable gold and silver coinage
g. Agriculture
D. Byzantine religion
1. Religious orthodoxy
2. Emperors involved in intense religious debates
3. The Iconoclastic Controversy
. The Iconoclasts prohibited the veneration of icons, considering them "graven images"
a. Others argued that icons served as windows through which a glimpse of
heaven might be granted
b. Political and financial considerations
c. The monasteries rallied behind the cause of images
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Document Summary
Chapter 7 rome"s three heirs, 500 950. Influenced legal system of many nations: dissolution of roman empire into rome, byzantium, and north africa. A successor to the roman state: justinian and heraclius, threats and challenges, the persians, theft of the relic of the original cross, heraclius routs the persians (627) By 650, arabs had taken back most of the byzantine territory that was formerly persian. Jerusalem in the hands of the muslims: constantinople threatened (677, pope leo the isaurian defeats arabs on land and at sea (717, seljuk turks. Internal political history, the story of violence and palace revolts: efficient bureaucratic practices. Education: religion, economic activity, entertainment, the army and navy f . Sound economic base: role of constantinople as trade emporium. Stable gold and silver coinage: agriculture, byzantine religion, religious orthodoxy, emperors involved in intense religious debates, the iconoclastic controversy. Opened a serious breach between east and west.
