Byzantine Empire: An Intro

• People living in Byz. Empire were Roman by choice but Greek by Geography, language and culture

• Ppl thought they inherited Roman culture & history

• Life was often better here than Western Roman Empire

• As West. Roman Empire began to fall, Eastern (Byzantine) Empire grew stronger

• Cities are bigger, wealthier

• Ppl open to new ideas

• Less Prone to barbarian invasions

• As the Western Roman Empire (W.R.E.) collapsed the Eastern Roman Empire is all that remained

• Known as Byzantine Empire b/c of original name of Constantinople (capital) . . . Byzantium

• Would last until until 15th century

• Capital city of Constantinople was commercial & cultural center of empire

• Located between the Black Sea & Med. Sea

• Great for trade, sits between Asia & Europe

• Constantinople became one of the riches cities

• Protected by strong walls

• Hippodrome in Const.

• Horse & chariot racing, politics took place in giant arena, lined with statues of gods, heroes & emperors

• The Silk Road is a series of trade routes between Asia & Europe that Europeans used to get valuable goods from Asia

• These trade routes connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia helped foster the spread of ideas, technology, goods, and religions

Traders from both Europe & Asia traveled through Constantinople.

Big takeaway: the trade routes made the Byz. Empire a cultural crossroads!