Lesson 2: The Byzantine Empire (Civilizations of Eastern Europe)
🌍 The Byzantine Empire
A long time ago, after the Roman Empire became weak, a new empire rose in the East. It was called the Byzantine Empire. Its capital city was very important and full of life.
🏰 Where Was Constantinople?
Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
It was in a perfect place! It stood between Europe and Asia. It was next to the sea, on a small piece of land.
Because of this, it was easy to protect from enemies.
It was also a great place for trade. Ships came from all over the world! Goods, gold, and spices filled the markets.
Today, Constantinople is called Istanbul, in the country of Turkey.
🧭 Fun story: Traders from Africa, Asia, and Europe would meet in Constantinople. People could hear 10 languages spoken in the market at once!
👑 Justinian’s Great Accomplishments
One of the most famous emperors was Justinian. He ruled for a long time and did many important things.
Here are two of his biggest accomplishments:
Justinian’s Code
Justinian collected all the old Roman laws and put them into one clear book.
This made laws easy to understand and fair. His code helped make laws in Europe for hundreds of years!Building Hagia Sophia
Justinian built a huge, beautiful church called the Hagia Sophia.
It had a giant dome that seemed to float in the air!
Many people said it was the most beautiful building in the world.
🏗️ Fun story: When the Hagia Sophia was finished, Justinian stood inside and said, "Solomon, I have outdone you!" He meant he had built something even greater than the famous Temple of Solomon!
👸 Theodora: A Strong Woman in the Empire
Theodora was Justinian’s wife, but she was more than just an empress. She helped rule the empire!
She gave advice, made laws better for women, and protected people who needed help.
When angry crowds tried to kick Justinian out of the city, Justinian wanted to run away.
But Theodora said, "Purple is a good color for a burial robe," meaning she would rather die an empress than live in fear.
Because of her strong words, Justinian stayed, and they saved the empire!
💬 What does this say about women?
In the Byzantine Empire, women could be powerful if they were smart and brave. Theodora showed that women could be leaders too.
✝️ The Creation of Two Christian Societies
At first, all Christians in Europe were part of the same Church.
But over time, problems grew between the East and the West.
Here are some reasons:
Language: In the East, people spoke Greek. In the West, people spoke Latin.
Beliefs: The East and West sometimes believed different things about God and Church rules.
Power: The Pope in Rome wanted to lead all Christians. But the emperor and the Church leaders in Constantinople did not agree.
In the year 1054, the Church split.
In the West, it became the Roman Catholic Church.
In the East, it became the Eastern Orthodox Church.
🚪 Fun story: It was called the "Great Schism." Church leaders sent angry letters to each other and even locked each other out of churches!