Rome To Byzantine Empire

Rome to Byzantine Empire

For several hundred years, most of Europe and North Africa were part of the Roman Empire.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

Pax Romana (Latin for "Roman peace") was the long period of relative peace and minimal expansion by military force experienced by the Roman Empire in the first and second centuries AD. Its timing was approximately from 27 BC to 180 AD.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

It probably seemed as if the Roman Empire would last forever.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

But the Roman Empire fell apart.

410 C.E. Rome is conquered by Goths.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

Why did Rome fall?

Check the bottom of page 11.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

The Roman Empire didn't completely disappear. Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the empire to Byzantium.

The city became known as Constantinople.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

The Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. This made Christianity the official religion of his empire.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire became the last stronghold of Christianity.

For centuries the Byzantines defended Constantinople against efforts by the Muslims to take it over.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

The rest of the empire was broken into fragments.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine emperor Justinian (527-565 C.E.) re-conquered some of the western empire.

Also look at the map on p.19

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

The Emperor Justinian collected all the written laws of the Roman Empire into a legal code now known as the Justinian Code.

What information can you find in the text about the Justinian Code? How would you start looking?

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

Justinian's spouse was Theodora.

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Rome to Byzantine Empire

Theodora was also a powerful and effective ruler. For example, she brought in changes to the law that gave women the right to keep any property they inherited.

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