The Eastern Roman Empire

• By the year 500 AD, the Roman Empire had fallen

• Emperor Constantine had established a new city called Constantinople

• Constantine built his new capital city on the Bosporus Strait.

• A strait is a narrow body of water that cuts through land, connecting two larger bodies of water.

Write this down

• Constantinople was easier to defend than the city of Rome

• It was built on a peninsula

• Two rings of thick walls and a

  moat, or trench filled

  with water, protected the city on land.

• Constantinople's location made it a great trading spot. Trade made Constantinople rich.

Emperor Justinian (write this down)

• Emperor Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire for 40 years

• Justinian was different in most emperors as he did not come from a wealthy family

• He worked his way up through the army and eventually to the throne

• Justinian's goal was to restore the Roman Empire

Emperor Justinian continued

• For 30 years, he worked at restoring Rome's previous empire

• His generals fought and gained lands that were lost back to Justinian's control

• During his reign, the empire reached it's largest size

• His many wars left the empire with money problems

Foreign Invaders

• Many foreign invaders tried to attack Constantinople

• The capital was able to defend itself for many years, but in 1204, crusaders were able to take over the city. The people of the empire were able to take it back

• The final attack came from the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1453. This was the end of the Byzantine Empire

Conclusion

We will learn more about the Emperor Justinian and The Byzantine Empire in the next few lessons.

Any Questions?????