Why was byzantium better than rome

The Ottoman Empire was one of the mightiest and longest-lasting dynasties in world history. The chief leader, known as the Sultan, was given absolute For them, Byzantium was a continuation of the Roman The Goths were a nomadic Germanic people who fought against Roman rule in the late s and early s A.

The ascendancy of the Goths is said to have marked the Beginning in the eighth century B. Among the many legacies Attila the Hun was the leader of the Hunnic Empire from to A. Palmyra is an ancient archaeological site located in modern-day Syria. Originally founded near a fertile natural oasis, it was established sometime during the third millennium B.

Its history is marked by many important inventions that changed the world, including the concept Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault. Byzantine Empire Flourishes The eastern half of the Roman Empire proved less vulnerable to external attack, thanks in part to its geographic location. Eastern Roman Empire As a result of these advantages, the Eastern Roman Empire, variously known as the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium, was able to survive for centuries after the fall of Rome.

Justinian I Justinian I, who took power in and would rule until his death in , was the first great ruler of the Byzantine Empire. Recommended for you. How the Troubles Began in Northern Ireland. Byzantine Empire. Developing the Empire State Building. Deconstructing History: Empire State Building. Reagan's Evil Empire. Persian Empire The Persian Empire is the name given to a series of dynasties centered in modern-day Iran that spanned several centuries—from the sixth century B.

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire was one of the mightiest and longest-lasting dynasties in world history. The Byzantine capital of Constantinople was located at a key location for water travel and trade between Asia through the Black Sea and the rest of Western Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.

Therefore, the Byzantine Empire was able to support merchants and traders. Additionally, both empires established large-scale building projects. The Roman Empire established aqueduct systems throughout their empire to distribute fresh water into cities and towns, and this water often was carried from faraway sources. The Roman Empire under Vespasian and the Flavian Dynasty was especially influential in constructing large buildings and is known for its ambition in construction projects.

For example, Vespasian began the building process of the Flavian Amphitheatre more commonly known as the Coliseum of Rome. His son Titus later finished construction of the Coliseum.

The reign of Justinian and information concerning the Hagia Sophia church is more fully outlined in sections below dedicated to those topics. Key differences between the two empires concern their religions, relative amount of conquered territory, and their practices in artistry.

Up until the Edict of Milan in under Constantinople, which legalized Christianity throughout the empire and emphasized religious tolerance, the Roman empire was primarily pagan in nature. The official Roman pantheon drew much of its inspiration from the Greek gods.

A terrible plague swept through the empire, killing Theodora and almost killing him. The army was also afflicted, and the Ostrogoths were able to effectively regain Italy in CE, through guerrilla warfare against the Byzantine occupiers. In the Roman-Persian Wars, the Persians invaded and destroyed a number of important cities. Justinian was forced to establish a humiliating year peace treaty with them in CE.

Still, Justinian kept the empire from collapse. He sent a new general, Narses, to Italy with a small force. Narses finally defeated the Ostrogoths and drove them back out of Italy. By the time the war was over, Italy, once one of the most prosperous lands in the ancient world, was wrecked.

The city of Rome changed hands multiple times, and most of the cities of Italy were abandoned or fell into a long period of decline. The impoverishment of Italy and the weakened Byzantine military made it impossible for the empire to hold the peninsula. Soon a new Germanic tribe, the Lombards, came in and conquered most of Italy, though Rome, Naples, and Ravenna remained isolated pockets of Byzantine control.

At the same time, another new barbarian enemy, the Slavs, appeared from north of the Danube. They devastated Greece and the Balkans, and in the absence of strong Byzantine military might, they settled in small communities in these lands. Justinian I achieved lasting fame through his judicial reforms, particularly through the complete revision of all Roman law that was compiled in what is known today as the Corpus juris civilis.

Byzantine Emperor Justinian I achieved lasting fame through his judicial reforms, particularly through the complete revision of all Roman law, something that had not previously been attempted.

There existed three codices of imperial laws and other individual laws, many of which conflicted or were out of date. All three parts, even the textbook, were given force of law. They were intended to be, together, the sole source of law; reference to any other source, including the original texts from which the Codex and the Digesta had been taken, was forbidden. Nonetheless, Justinian found himself having to enact further laws, and today these are counted as a fourth part of the Corpus , the Novellae Constitutiones.

As opposed to the rest of the Corpus , the Novellae appeared in Greek, the common language of the Eastern Empire. His team was authorized to edit what they included.

How far they made amendments is not recorded and, in the main, cannot be known because most of the originals have not survived. The text was composed and distributed almost entirely in Latin, which was still the official language of the government of the Byzantine Empire in , whereas the prevalent language of merchants, farmers, seamen, and other citizens was Greek.

Many of the laws contained in the Codex were aimed at regulating religious practice, included numerous provisions served to secure the status of Christianity as the state religion of the empire, uniting church and state, and making anyone who was not connected to the Christian church a non-citizen. It also contained laws forbidding particular pagan practices; for example, all persons present at a pagan sacrifice may be indicted as if for murder.

Other laws, some influenced by his wife, Theodora, include those to protect prostitutes from exploitation, and women from being forced into prostitution. Rapists were treated severely. Further, by his policies, women charged with major crimes should be guarded by other women to prevent sexual abuse; if a woman was widowed, her dowry should be returned; and a husband could not take on a major debt without his wife giving her consent twice. Lugduni apud Gulielmum Rouillium, The Corpus forms the basis of Latin jurisprudence including ecclesiastical Canon Law and, for historians, provides a valuable insight into the concerns and activities of the later Roman Empire.

The only western province where the Justinian Code was introduced was Italy, from where it was to pass to western Europe in the 12th century, and become the basis of much European law code. It eventually passed to eastern Europe, where it appeared in Slavic editions, and it also passed on to Russia. It was not in general use during the Early Middle Ages. After the Early Middle Ages, interest in it revived. The revived Roman law, in turn, became the foundation of law in all civil law jurisdictions.

The provisions of the Corpus Juris Civilis also influenced the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church; it was said that ecclesia vivit lege romana —the church lives by Roman law. The Corpus continues to have a major influence on public international law. Its four parts thus constitute the foundation documents of the western legal tradition. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. The Byzantine Empire. Search for:. Byzantium: The New Rome.

Learning Objectives Describe identifying characteristics of the Byzantine Empire. Although the Byzantine Empire had a multi-ethnic character during most of its history and preserved Romano-Hellenistic traditions, it became identified with its increasingly predominant Greek element and its own unique cultural developments. Today the city is known as Istanbul.

The founder of the Byzantine Empire and its first emperor, Constantine the Great, moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the city of Byzantium in CE, and renamed it Constantinople. Constantine the Great also legalized Christianity, which had previously been persecuted in the Roman Empire.

Christianity would become a major element of Byzantine culture. Constantinople became the largest city in the empire and a major commercial center, while the Western Roman Empire fell in CE.

Key Terms Germanic barbarians : An uncivilized or uncultured person, originally compared to the hellenistic Greco-Roman civilization; often associated with fighting or other such shows of strength. Christianity : An Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and various scholars who wrote the Christian Bible.

It was legalized in the Byzantine Empire by Constantine the Great, and the religion became a major element of Byzantine culture. Justinian was responsible for the construction of the Hagia Sophia, the center of Christianity in Constantinople.

Even today, the Hagia Sophia is recognized as one of the greatest buildings in the world.