Section 1-The Byzantine Empire (Part 2)

Life in the New Rome

• Hippodrome-Massive stadium that held 60,000 spectators and offered free chariot races and performances.– The site of the Nika

Rebellion

Life in the New Rome • Nika Rebellion-532 A.D. Two

groups of angry protestors sparked city wide riots shouting “Nika” (meaning “Victory”) while also calling for the overthrow of Justinian and his government. – Justinian sent in his troops and

slaughtered all 30,000 protestors inside of the Hippodrome

Life in the New Rome

• Empress Theodora- – Married Justinian in 525 A.D.– Former burlesque dancer – Most powerful woman in Byzantine history – Political Responsibilities-

• Met foreign envoys

• Passed laws

• Wrote to foreign leaders

• Built Churches

The Empire Falls

• The Plague of Justinian-542 A.D. The bubonic plague swept through Constantinople killing nearly 10,000 people a day

The Empire Falls

• Attacks from East and West– Byzantium faced constant

attacks• In order to keep their

enemies at bay the Byzantines used:

– Bribes

– Diplomacy

– Political marriages

– Military power

The Church Divides

• Eastern Orthodox Christianity– Patriarch-Leading bishop of the church

• Still under the authority of the emperor

– Icons-Religious images used in the Orthodox faith

• Roman Catholicism-– Pope-Head of the Catholic church

• Answers to God alone

– Excommunication-• Means you exiled or are outcast from

the church

The Church Divides

• Cyrillic Alphabet-– Since many of the

people spoke Slavic languages or Russian an alphabet was created in which the Slavic people could read the Christian bible.