The Bizantium Empire Before 1500 B.c.

p Faisal AlshaalanProf . MurphyHI 10125 /04 /2008The knobbed imperiumThe involved empire , as sound cognise as the easterly roman print imperium , emerged following the glitter of the horse opera papistic conglomerate , and would be considered the second corking of Italy It subscriber lineated on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium , which was determined on the Bosphorus , and would last for 1 ,000 years , ending in 1453 when the Ottoman Turks were netly successful in their goal of moderate the k nonty capital of ConstantinopleAs stated , the knobbed pudding stone originated on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium . The area had jump been colonized in the mid-600s B .C . by the Greeks , and would remain beneath their control until the Macedonian Alexander the Great conquered it in 334 B .C . Conquered again by the Romans in the 100s B .C , the true perplex of the Byzantine Empire would not occur until 330A .D , when the Roman emperor Constantine the Great moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople (present-day Istanbul . Although the culture of the empire would remain dominated by Greek influences , the people of the Byzantine Empire considered themselves to be Romans . In reality , they were descendants of the various(a) peoples that had lived in the area since its earliest daysDuring its 1 ,000 years of innovation , the Byzantine Empire greatly impacted European elaboration as a whole . First and fore well-nigh , the empire was Christian , although its brand of Christianity would pay off to be k instantlyn as Greek Orthodoxy . This form of Christianity would greatly influence Byzantine invention , music , and architecture , which in turn would be emulated in other parts of Europe . The Greek Orthodox church service would also be obligated for converting some Slavic peoples , as hygienic as for fostering the developwork forcet of a subtle new style of art that was completely devoted to the halo of the Christian godlinessSecondly , the diction and skill of the Greeks was preserved for posterity . This was evident in the fact that the capital city of Constantinople served not except as the political center of the empire but also as the educational center of the empire . It would be hither that future regime officials learned to read and write the langu get along of ancient Greece . what is more , this preservation of the Greek language and learning would allow for the production of re commentable fakes in tarradiddle fine poetry , and sacred proseFinally , the Roman imperial constitution of the western Roman Empire would live on . The some polices that were in existence in the Western Roman Empire would be codified by one of the great Byzantine dominionrs - Justinian the Great . This codification of the law would serve as a great fashion model for the rest of Europe , demonstrating how much easier partnership could be run if the laws were well-known . As a resultant role of these triple aspects , Constantinople would earn the right to be called The City as it was a rich yet turbulent metropolis . It was to the archeozoic Middle Ages what Athens and Rome had been to the classical military man . By the time it collapsed in 1453 , the Byzantine Empire would have served as the foundation for the rise of Russia , and in particular Moscow , as the Third RomeAside from its rich culture and society , the Byzantine Empire and its capital city in particular were unique in terms geography Constantinople had been situated on a principal that was located at the s step uphern extremity of the Bosphorus and extended out form Europe towards Asia . To the south was the Sea of Marmora , plot of land to the mating was a long harbor called the Golden Horn . disposition protected the new capital city on three sides with cliffs , while on the quaternary side , an impenetrable three-wall mesh topology was create . As a result of its natural and artificial fortifications , various attempts to attack the city do by the Visigoths , Huns , and Ostrogoths during the intravenous feedingth and fifth centuries failed . During the seventh to ninth centuries , more attempts at surround Constantinople would all fail . With the exception of the treachery of the Fourth raise up , until 1453 , Constantinople withstood all attacksAnother aspect that make Constantinople , and thus the Byzantine Empire unique was that fact that the capital was a state-controlled , world guile center that enjoyed the benefits of a money economy . This was in great contrast to the localized ashess that were found in the west . The wealth of the city , along with its taxes , paid for the creation and sustentation of a strong military rive . It also financed an effective g everyplacenment , while supporting an extremely high bar of living . That high standard was also supported by building and usage of excellent sewage and water systems , as well as by an abundance of food flood tide from Egypt , Anatolia , and the Aegean Sea itselfWith all these various aspects , it was quite lucky for Constantinople to support its population of a million people at a time when it was difficult to find a city in Europe that could sustain more than 50 ,000 furthermore , to ensure its continued success , the state paid fold up attention to business and controlled the economy by utilizing a system of guilds to which all tradesmen and members of the professions belonged , while setting the wages , profits , work hours , and prices of the various professions and trades . Because of this , many economists agree that the Byzantine Empire is the origin for modern trade and commerce (Brain , npThe final aspect that made Constantinople , and thus the Byzantine Empire , unique was that fact that twain survived for 1 ,000 years , de scandalize the many revolutions , wars , and religious controversies that unnatural other parts of Europe . A prime example can be seen in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 . This collapse was the result of internal difficulties , and outdoor(a) pressure from the Germanic invaders unless , one ruler of the Byzantine Empire would attempt to return the Roman Empire to its first- century aristocracy . Aided by his forceful wife Theodora and a army corps of competent assistants , he made lasting contributions to Western cultivation while gaining short-term successes in his foreign policyThe first , and by chance most lasting , contribution of the reign of Justinian was his codification of Roman law . By the time he accomplished this endeavor , it had break down necessary to rewrite many of the laws , as they had become obsolete since their last codification by Theodosius in 348 Because the rule of Justinian , and of all the Roman emperors , was that of absolute monarchy , the people had long ceased to be the source of the laws . It had been that the ruler , by the virtue of his office , was responsible for putting into effect new law , as well as for the way in which it was interpreted and enforced . This did not change in the reign of JustinianThe second contribution was the architectural changes accomplished during his reign . In the 520s and 530s , Constantinople had suffered through several lay waste to earthquakes , as well as through a splurge in which the city was damaged by fire . As a result of these two environmental difficulties , Justinian was provided with the opportunity involve to carry out a massive project of empire-wide urban renewal Numerous magnificent and artistically beautiful structures were built or rebuilt during his reign . They allowd statues , churches - the most famous beingness the Hagia Sophia and the Church of Constantinople , the latter being the richest and most influential religious center of Christendom - and various other monuments (Henry , npThe final contribution was Justinian himself . In Constantinople , there is a structure known as the Augustaeum . international of it is a statue of Justinian wearing what was known at the time as the armor of Achilles but , Justinian carried no weapon . Instead , he held in his left hand the symbol of the force out of the Christian Roman Emperor : the globe signifying his dominion over rural area and sea . On the globe itself was a cross , which good sense the source of his rule . Having Justinian be portrayed as Achilles provided a natural example of the fusion of classical culture with Christianity in the Byzantine , or Eastern Roman Empire . Although it began earlier to the reign of Justinian , it would continue on during his reign and would serve as one of the distinguishing features of education and literature of the periodVery short has been said of religion , but with regard to this slew one particular issue stood out . It was the policy of iconoclasm , which called for the destruction of religious images and statues . In the Western Roman Empire , this policy has sparked a violent reception especially in the monasteries . This violent reaction was responded to by the government through merciless persecution of any opposition to the policy . In the Byzantine , or Eastern Roman Empire , except , the policy of iconoclasm was supported . Thus , the split that had already begun was now solidified over this issue . The ultimate result was that Eastern Roman Empire would become greatly influenced by Moslem culture , and it would produce an eastern state with a its theological house in and its bs fairly secure by the middle of the ninth centuryFrom the mid-ninth to the mid- 11th centuries , roughly coinciding with the reign of the Macedonian dynasty , the Byzantine Empire enjoyed political and cultural transcendence over its foes . While Western Europe staggered under the blows dealt by the Saracens , Vikings and Magyars and while the Arabs lost the momentum that had fueled the rapid rise to power , Constantinople enjoyed the relative calm , wealth , and balance bequeathed by the alkali system and promoted by a series of powerful rulers . Furthermore , the Justinian period was marked by the flowering of artists , scholars , and theologians as well as by the presence of great warriors . It would be during this golden age that Constantinople would make its major contributions to Eastern Europe and RussiaAs antecedently stated , from the mid-ninth to mid-eleventh centuries , the Byzantine Empire enjoyed a great superiority over its enemies . As a result , those enemies did their best to receive the Empire down .

Arab armies made continual thrusts , including one at Thessalonica in 904 that led to the death or enslavement of 22 ,000 Byzantine people . It would be the combination of the decline in Muslim combativeness and the solidarity of Byzantine defenses that would end this conflict . In 1014 Basil II - surnamed Bulgaroctonus or Bulgar-slayer - stopped the Bulgarians at the date of Balathista . At the same time , the Macedonian emperors were dealing with the western European powers from a position of strength , particularly in Italy where their interests clashed Western diplomats visiting the Byzantine court were outraged at the benign contempt with which the Byzantine emperors treated them , but this was tho a reflection of Constantinople s understanding of its important role on the European world-stageThe strength evident within the Byzantine Empire during the tenth century began to deteriorate in the eleventh century . The make do for the Byzantine tail end had degenerated into a power struggle between the civil and military aristocracies . These power struggles weakened the Empire , so much so that by the end of the eleventh century , Venice had completely taken over the maritime trade in the Adriatic Sea , which had been a vital part of the frugal success of the Empire . There were also challenges from the Normans , who under the leaders of Robert Guiscard , took control of the last Byzantine stronghold in ItalyIn spite of the political instability , there was a flourishing of layperson and theological universities , while the emperors themselves were proving to be generous patrons of the arts . Examples include Basil I and Leo VI , both of whom oversaw the aggregation and reform of the law codes The latter of the two was considered to be the most prolific lawgiver since Justinian and would sponsor the greatest collection of laws of the mediaeval Byzantine Empire , ultimately affecting jurisprudence passim EuropeCulturally , the Empire continued to be a leading force . At a time when scholarship in Western Europe was practically xistent , there was widespread learning and literacy among the men and women of the Empire As previously stated , during the golden age of the Empire , there was a great deal of preservation with regard to ancient learning , particularly in the areas of law , science , philosophy and literature . This preservation and perpetuation of the ancient traditions was handled by the civil servants of Constantinople , rather than by the monasteries , as was the normAs previously stated , it was during the eleventh century that political instability began to naughtily impact the Byzantine Empire . In 1081 , the Commenian family claimed the Byzantine throne , and for the remainder of the eleventh and through the twelfth centuries , the best they could do was to play a balance-of-power between east and west . In 1096 , the first crusaders appeared . They had appeared as a result of an appeal made by Alexius Comnenus to Pope Urban II for help against the Turks . However , Alexius had not expected the appearance of the crusaders , which included the dreaded Normans . therefore , he sent them across the Dardanelles , where they won some battles and permitted the Byzantines to restore some of their losses in Asia MinorFollowing the Comnenian Dynasty was the Paleologus Dynasty , which ruled the empire during its final two centuries . It was during this period that the formerly glorious realm became a pawn in a new game . A new threat in the form of the Ottoman Turks appeared , and in response to their speedy advance , a poorly conceived and ill-omened crusade was mounted against them . In 1396 , at the Battle of Nicopolis , over 10 ,000 knights and their attendants were captured or killed while defending the Empire . around 60 years later , the end of the Empire came . In May 1453 the last ruler of the Byzantine Empire - Constantine XI - led a force of 9 ,000 men , fractional of whom were Genoese , to hold off the 160 ,000 Turks from entering the capital of Constantinople for seven weeks . Finally , the Ottomans - with help from Hungarian artillerymen - were able to develop the walls of the city . `The City had finally fallenAfter existing for a little over 1 ,000 years , the Byzantine Empire had come to an end . The strong foundations laid down by Heraclius - the root system and reliance on the free peasant-soldier - had allowed the empire to support military attacks from some of the strong armies in Europe . However , when the very things that had made the Empire so successful were run-down , the Empire began to falter . It was then that the Empire lost its sum total , and with it , the reserves of soldiers leaders , taxes , and food that had allowed it to survive for the past four centuries . Regardless of this , the Byzantine Empire had still left its mark on Europe , a mark that would never be entirely erasedWorks CitedAngelov , Dimiter G . The Making of Byzantinism . 2001Brain , Alfered . Economy in Byzantine Empire . 2001Robins , Robert Henry . The Byzantine Grammarians History . 1993Ward , George Crain . Western cultivation Impact on Rest of the World 1996The Western subtlety from The Greek PolisPAGE 8Alshaalan 2PAGE 1...If you want to get a full essay, articulate it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com

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