History 8 - Session 1: Byzantine Empire

Summary

Teacher Josh introduces a history lesson on the Byzantine Empire, following the curriculum from history 7 to 10. He outlines the periods and divisions of world history by year level, focusing on the fall of the Roman Empire to the medieval period. Key topics include the reasons for Rome's fall, the rise of Constantinople, and the Byzantine Empire's expansion strategies. The lecture also covers the empire's legal reforms by Justinian, cultural developments, and the eventual fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. The influence of the Byzantine Empire on Christianity and the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet are also discussed.

Takeaways

• 😀 The script is a history lesson by Teacher Josh, focusing on the Byzantine Empire and its historical context.
• 🏛 In History 7, students studied ancient civilizations, Greece, Rome, and the fall of the Roman Empire, while History 8 covers the period from the fall of Rome to the medieval period, including the formation of Western Europe and the expansion of the Muslim world.
• 📚 The lesson introduces the biblical principle of God's providence in history, emphasizing the protection of the faithful as outlined in Psalm 31:23-24.
• 🏰 The fall of Rome is attributed to eight main reasons, including barbarian invasions, economic troubles, the rise of the Eastern Empire, overexpansion, government corruption, the arrival of the Huns, the spread of Christianity, and the weakening of the Roman legions.
• 🌍 After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Byzantium, renamed Constantinople, became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire.
• 👑 Emperor Justinian aimed to regain Rome's glory by sending his general Belisarius to recover lost territories, including North Africa, Italy, and parts of Spain.
• ⚖️ Justinian established the Justinian Code, a uniform legal code consisting of the Code, the Digest, the Institutes, and the Novella, to standardize Roman law.
• 🏗️ Constantinople was characterized by its bustling main street, the Mese, with merchant stalls and the Hippodrome, which hosted chariot races and could accommodate 60,000 spectators.
• ⚔️ The Nika Rebellion in Constantinople was a significant event where the populace demanded the overthrow of Justinian, but the rebellion was brutally suppressed.
• 🦠 The Byzantine Empire faced challenges including the Plague of Justinian and continuous attacks from various foreign enemies, which eventually led to its decline and fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
• ✝️ Christianity developed differently in the Eastern and Western Empires, leading to the Great Schism in 1054, where the Pope and the Patriarch excommunicated each other, marking the formal division of the Christian Church.

Q & A

What are the main periods and divisions of world history studied in high school according to the transcript?

In high school, the periods and divisions of world history studied are: History 7 focuses on ancient civilizations, Greece, Rome, and the fall of the Roman Empire; History 8 covers from the fall of Rome to the medieval period, including Western Europe, Renaissance, Reformation, and the expansion of the Muslim world; History 9 studies the reign of absolute monarchs in Europe, the Enlightenment, revolutions, age of democracy and progress, age of imperialism, and World War I; History 10 covers from 1900 to the present day, including Russian revolutions, Asian nationalism, World War II, post-war restructuring, struggles for democracy, and contemporary global issues.

What is the biblical principle for the quarter discussed in the transcript?

The biblical principle for the quarter is the providence of God in history, which is exercised in the preservation of the faithful. This principle is supported by Psalm 31:23-24, which states that the Lord protects those who are loyal to him but harshly punishes the arrogant.

What were the eight main reasons for the fall of Rome as outlined in the transcript?

The eight main reasons for the fall of Rome are: 1) invasions by barbarian tribes, 2) economic troubles and over-reliance on slave labor, 3) the rise of the Eastern Empire in Byzantium, 4) over-expansion and military overspending, 5) government corruption and political instability, 6) the arrival of the Huns and migration of barbarian tribes, 7) the spread of Christianity and loss of traditional values, and 8) the weakening of the Roman legions.

How did Emperor Justinian attempt to regain Rome's fading glory?

Emperor Justinian attempted to regain Rome's fading glory by sending his best general, Belisarius, to recover North Africa from the invading Germanic tribes. Belisarius successfully recaptured Italy and parts of Spain, nearly all the territory that Rome had ever ruled.

What was the purpose of the Justinian Code established by Emperor Justinian?

The Justinian Code was created to establish a single uniform legal code for the empire. It consisted of four works: the Code, the Digest, the Institutes, and the Novella or New Law.

What were some of the public building programs and establishments created by Emperor Justinian in Constantinople?

Emperor Justinian established several public buildings and programs, including a 14-mile stone wall around the city, the Hagia Sophia, enlargement of his palace into a vast complex, and preservation of Greco-Roman culture and the value of education.

What was the significance of the Hippodrome in Constantinople?

The Hippodrome in Constantinople was a significant entertainment venue that could hold 60,000 spectators. It offered wild chariot races and performance acts. However, it also posed potential dangers, as it was the site of the Nika rebellion, which was incited by the people's cry of 'Nika,' meaning victory.

How did the Byzantine Empire respond to the Nika rebellion?

The Byzantine Empire, under Emperor Justinian, responded to the Nika rebellion by breaking in with troops and slaughtering about 30,000 rebels.

What were some of the challenges and threats the Byzantine Empire faced from the start?

The Byzantine Empire faced constant challenges from foreign enemies such as the Lombards, Avars, Slavs, Bulgars, Russians, Arab armies, Turks, and Persians. They used bribes, diplomacy, political marriages, and military power to keep their enemies at bay.

How did the religious differences between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church contribute to the division of the Christian Church?

The religious differences, including language (Greek vs. Latin), authority (Patriarchs and Emperor vs. Pope), and practices (priests marrying and allowing divorce in the Eastern Orthodox Church), contributed to the division of the Christian Church in 1054 CE, when the Pope and the Patriarch excommunicated each other.

What was the impact of the missionary work of Saint Methodius and Saint Cyril among the Slavs?

Saint Methodius and Saint Cyril brought Eastern Christianity to the Slavs and invented the Cyrillic alphabet, enabling the Slavs to read the Bible in their own languages. This work laid the foundation for the development of Slavic cultures and the formation of influential countries like Russia.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to World History Curriculum

Teacher Josh introduces the world history curriculum for high school students, outlining the topics covered in each grade level. In 7th grade, students learn about ancient civilizations, Greece, Rome, and the fall of the Roman Empire. In 8th grade, the focus shifts to the fall of Rome, the medieval period, the formation of Western Europe, the Renaissance, and the expansion of the Muslim world. 9th grade covers the reign of absolute monarchs, the Enlightenment, and World War I. 10th grade timelines range from 1900 to the present, including global interdependence and contemporary issues. The biblical principle for the quarter is discussed, emphasizing God's providence in history as the preservation of the faithful, supported by Psalm 31:23-24.

05:03

🏰 The Byzantine Empire and its Expansion Strategies

The video delves into the Byzantine Empire, starting with the renaming of Byzantium to Constantinople after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Students are encouraged to consider strategies for expanding an empire, such as military conquest, diplomacy, and intermarriage. The division of the Roman Empire into eastern and western parts due to communication difficulties is highlighted, with the eastern rulers still considering themselves emperors of all Rome. The efforts of Emperor Justinian to regain Rome's glory by sending his general Belisarius to recover North Africa are discussed, along with the advantages and disadvantages of absolute power.

10:03

🏛️ Justinian's Reign and the Byzantine Empire's Cultural and Legal Developments

Emperor Justinian's reign is explored, focusing on his legal reforms, including the creation of the Justinian Code by a panel of legal experts. The empire's cultural preservation efforts, such as the establishment of a 14-mile stone wall around Constantinople and the enlargement of the imperial palace, are highlighted. The video also discusses the bustling life in Constantinople, with its main street lined with merchant stalls and the Hippodrome offering entertainment. The potential dangers of such events, leading to the Nika Rebellion and its suppression, are also covered.

15:03

🛡️ Challenges and the Fall of the Byzantine Empire

The video addresses the challenges faced by the Byzantine Empire, including the Plague of Justinian, which made the empire more vulnerable to foreign attacks. The empire's strategies to deal with constant threats from various foreign enemies, such as bribes, diplomacy, and military power, are discussed. The reorganization of the empire along military lines by Emperor Herakleios and the eventual fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 are also covered.

20:06

⛪️ The Development of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire

The video concludes with a discussion on the development of Christianity within the Byzantine Empire, highlighting the differences between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. The Great Schism of 1054, when the Pope and the Patriarch excommunicated each other, is explained. The roles of Saint Basil and Saint John Chrysostom in shaping monastic and Christian life are discussed, along with the controversy over the use of icons. The missionary work of Saint Methodius and Saint Cyril among the Slavs and the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet are also highlighted.

Keywords

💡Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. It was a significant historical power that lasted from 330 AD to 1453 AD, with its capital at Constantinople. In the video, the Byzantine Empire is central to the discussion of how the Eastern Roman Empire continued after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, highlighting its unique cultural, political, and religious developments.

💡Fall of Rome

The fall of Rome refers to the end of the Western Roman Empire, traditionally dated to 476 AD. It was marked by various factors including barbarian invasions, economic troubles, and military overspending. The video script mentions eight main reasons for Rome's fall, which set the stage for the rise of the Byzantine Empire and the changes in the political landscape of Europe.

💡Constantinople

Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It was originally named Byzantium, but it was renamed by Emperor Constantine the Great in 330 AD. The city played a crucial role in the empire's history, serving as a center of culture, religion, and politics. The video discusses how Constantinople was the heart of the Byzantine Empire, and how it was affected by various historical events, including the reign of Emperor Justinian.

💡Justinian

Emperor Justinian I was a ruler of the Byzantine Empire from 527 to 565 AD. He is known for his attempts to restore the empire's former glory, including the reconquest of territories in the West. The video mentions Justinian's efforts to regain Rome's territories, his legal reforms, and the construction of significant buildings like the Hagia Sophia, which reflect his ambition and the empire's cultural achievements.

💡Bubonic Plague

The Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black Death, was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. It is mentioned in the video as the 'Plague of Justinian,' which struck the empire in the 6th century, causing significant loss of life and weakening the empire's defenses against foreign attacks. This event is highlighted as a major factor contributing to the decline of the Byzantine Empire.

💡Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is one of the oldest Christian churches, with its roots in the Byzantine Empire. It developed distinct doctrines and practices from the Western Church, leading to the Great Schism of 1054. The video discusses the differences between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, emphasizing the cultural and religious divergence between the East and West.

💡Iconoclasm

Iconoclasm refers to the religious and political movement against the use of religious images and icons, particularly within the Eastern Orthodox Church. The video mentions the controversy under Emperor Leo III, who banned the use of icons, viewing them as idolatry. This led to significant unrest and riots, reflecting the complex interplay between religious and political authority in the Byzantine Empire.

💡Cyrillic Alphabet

The Cyrillic Alphabet is a writing system used for various Slavic languages, including Russian. It was developed by Saints Cyril and Methodius, who were missionaries to the Slavs in the 9th century. The video script highlights the creation of the Cyrillic Alphabet as a significant cultural and religious achievement, enabling the Slavic peoples to read the Bible in their own languages and contributing to the development of Slavic cultures and identities.

💡Hippodrome

The Hippodrome was a central location in Constantinople for public events, including chariot races and other spectacles. The video describes it as a place that could hold up to 60,000 spectators, indicating its importance in the social and cultural life of the empire. It also mentions the Nika riots, which were incited by the people's dissatisfaction and were a significant event in the empire's history.

💡Theodora

Empress Theodora was the wife of Emperor Justinian and played a significant role in the empire's politics. The video notes her influence and power, including her role in劝阻 Justinian from fleeing during the Nika riots. Theodora's actions demonstrate the complex dynamics of power and gender within the Byzantine imperial court.

Highlights

Overview of periods and divisions of world history per year level in high school.

History 7 focuses on ancient civilizations, Greece, Rome, and the fall of the Roman Empire.

History 8 covers the fall of Rome to the medieval period, including Western Europe, Renaissance, and the expansion of the Muslim world.

History 9 studies the reign of absolute monarchs, Enlightenment, revolutions, and World War One.

History 10 timeline spans from 1900 to present, including World War II and contemporary global issues.

Biblical principle for the quarter: God's providence in history is exercised in the preservation of the faithful.

Definition of providence as the protective nature of God for His people.

Psalm 31:23-24 supports the principle, emphasizing God's protection for the loyal and punishment for the arrogant.

Eight main reasons for the fall of Rome, including barbarian invasions and economic troubles.

The renaming of Byzantium to Constantinople after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Options for expanding an empire include military conquest, diplomacy, and intermarriage.

Emperor Justinian's efforts to regain Rome's glory by sending General Belisarius to recover North Africa.

Justinian's absolute power as a Byzantine emperor, similar to Roman Caesars.

Justinian Code, a uniform legal code created by a panel of legal experts under Justinian.

Description of life in Constantinople, including the main street with merchant stalls and the Hippodrome.

The Nika Rebellion and its impact on Justinian's rule, including the role of Empress Theodora.

Reasons for the fall of the Byzantine Empire, including the Plague of Justinian and constant foreign threats.

The division of Christianity into Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic due to differences in beliefs and practices.

Saint Basil's rules for the life of monks and the influence of Saint John Chrysostom as the bishop of Constantinople.

The controversy over the use of icons and the role of missionaries in spreading Christianity to the Slavs.

The creation of the Cyrillic alphabet by Saints Methodius and Cyril, enabling the Slavs to read the Bible in their own languages.

Transcripts

hi students

i'm teacher josh and we'll be studying

history together this school year

[Music]

hi students for today's session

we will be studying the byzantine empire

but before that

we'll go through the overview of the

periods and divisions of world history

per year level in high school

so in history 7 he studied about the

beginnings of ancient civilizations

greece and rome and the fall of the

roman empire

and also last quarter

you studied about the establishment of

world's

major religions and for this year

history eighth you will be studying

uh from the fall of roman empire

until the medieval

period so the formation of the western

europe

renaissance and reformation and the

expansion

of the muslim world

and in your history 9

you'll be studying the reign of absolute

monarchs in europe

period of enlightenment and revolutions

age of democracy and progress

age of imperialism and world war one

so for history 10 that will be timeline

of 1900 until the present day

so from revolutions in russia and

nationalism in asia

years of crisis world war ii

restructuring the

post-war world struggles for democracy

and the global interdependence

and contemporary issues in the world

today

before we start i'll just share to you

the biblical principle for this quarter

and the verse that supports it so the

providence of god in history is exercise

the preservation of the faithful

so what does this principle

even mean first

let's define providence first

so providence is actually defined as the

protective

nature of god or his spiritual care

for the people so if you're gonna

insert that definition there and explain

it

the protective nature of god in history

is exercise in the preservation

of the faithful so this verse

supports this principle psalm 31 verse

23 to 24 says

love the lord all you god the ones for

the lord protects those who are loyal to

him

but he harshly punishes the aragon so be

strong and courageous all you who put

your hope

in the lord so it's very clear and

direct

the lord protects those who are loyal

those who are faithful to him

but he punished this the arrogant so

let's remember

these verses and the principle for this

quarter

so let's start our session

let's review what were the eight main

reasons

why rome fell can you think

of at least a few

so you can pause the video and think

first

what were the main reasons why rome fell

okay so number one

there were invasions by barbarian tribes

number two they were having economic

troubles and over

reliance on slave labor

number three the rise of the eastern

empire in

byzantium was another factor

because they split the empire into two

if you remember

the fourth the over expansion and

military

overspending fifth

the government corruption and even the

political instability

during that time was another factor and

another thing the arrival of the huns

and the migration of the barbarian

tribes

it was another main reason why the rome

fell

another was christianity or the spread

of christianity

was said to have been a factor why rome

fell

because they lost their traditional

values that is

ironic though and eight

the eighth is the weakening of the roman

legions or their armies this was once

their

uh what were what they were known for

is now became their weakness

so these are the main reasons why rome

fell

so after the collapse of the western

roman empire the capital city of

byzantium was renamed constantinople

while byzantium could

would remain this is the name of the

entire

eastern empire the byzantine

empire will be studying from the fall of

rome until

the new rome what was it like

during the new rome

so question for you how will you expand

your empire if you were the emperor

imagine that you are the ruler

and what were

or what are your options in expanding

your empire

first military conquest

is an option you can try

attacking another group of people

or tribe and gain their territory

another is your diplomats might persuade

other groups

to join you so you can send your

diplomat

diplomats to um

other groups of people that are nearby

and try to make peace with them and

maybe become

allies another thing

you also know the rulers of several

countries outside your empire

would like to see their sons or

daughters marry

into your family so again how will you

expand your

empire if you were the new ruler of the

byzantine

empire

so now you must consider the best way to

enlarge your empire

what are the benefits and drawbacks of a

military conquest

or why might you choose diplomacy or

intermarriage with an

outside ruling family so

those are your options in expanding

and making your empire even greater

so a new rom in the new setting in 395

ce roman leaders have divided the empire

due to difficulties

in communication between the east and

the western parts of the empire

still rulers in the east continue to see

themselves as

emperors for all of rome

so this is the map as you can see they

divided it

into two uh because of difficulties

of communication

so in 527 the emperor of the eastern

empire

that was justinian in an effort to

regain

regain rome's fading glory he sent his

best general

belisarius to recover north africa

from the invading germanic tribes

so what happened

the saris attacked rome and sees it from

a group

known as the ostrogoths

so he quickly succeeded

his campaigns and attacks and after

those

justinian's armies won nearly all of

italy and parts of spain

and almost all the territory that rome

had ever ruled

so belsarius was

a victorious leading uh

the attack against uh or in recapturing

the territory of rome

so just like the roman caesars byzantine

emperors ruled

with absolute power meaning they also

had power

against uh over rather over

the church so a question

for you what could be advantages and

disadvantages of having this much power

so you can pause and think

for a while what do you think are the

advantages and disadvantages of having

this much power and we'll talk about it

in our live session

so the life in the new rome what was it

like

so being separated from the west gave

the byzantine empire's own character

although they still share the traditions

few spoke latin anymore and most

byzantines spoke greek

so another thing that justinian did was

he set up a panel of legal experts

to create a single uniform code

which is known as the justinian code and

it consisted

of four works the code

the digest the institutes and the

novella or

new law so for more details you can read

the pdf

or if you have the book

so he set up a single uniform code which

is known as the justinian

code

so while his legal experts were busy

trying to form that

he also created the most ambitious

public building

program ever seen in the roman world

he created the imperial capital

and aside from that these were the

things that he

established a 14-mile stone wall of the

city

high a sofia he also enlarged his palace

into a vast complex

preserve the greco-roman culture and the

value

of education so these are just some of

the pictures

and the buildings that

he led to

establish and up until today they can be

seen there

so this is what justinian's

reconstructions

or establishments look like you won't

really go into the details

but here are the legends of

those buildings and establishments

what could be the purpose of each of the

constructions

or renovations that this kingdom did

something for you to think about

so what was the life like in the new

room

so constantinople had a hectic

phase or way of living messi

the middle way or the road or the main

street

running through constantinople how was

it

how is this street described

so if you have your pdfs it was

described

as there were merchant stalls lined the

main street

products from the most distant corners

of asia

africa and europe passed through these

stalls

and citizens could enjoy free

entertainment at the hippodrome

so this offered wild chariot races

and performance acts the hippodrome

could hold

sixty thousand spectators

so it's more than what our philippine

arena

could hold which is only fifty thousand

so hippodrome came from the greek words

meaning horse

and race cars

so what was the potential danger posed

by events held

at the hippodrome

so there was uh or a rebellion was

incited

by the people the nica rebellion

because the mob cried nica which means

victory

so what incited that rebellion

so the people were previously angry

and mad at justinian for how they

reacted

at the previous riots and then

then they demanded the overthrow but

they demanded to overthrow

justinian and so how did the government

react

how did the government respond to

address this problem

this arias broke in with his troops and

slaughtered about 30 000 rebels

so how did justinian deal

with the problem he actually almost

fleed it was his wife that stopped him

from fleeing the situation

so his wife theodora was actually

also his pr his advisor

and she held an immense power

also so how did the empire

fall so after justine's death

they had a lot of setbacks

riots continued and foreign

threats were there but first

or one of the main reasons that the

empire fall

or fell was the plague of justinian

so a deceased like the bubonic plague

probably probably arrived from indian

ships

infested with rats and then 10

by 542 ce 10 000

people were dying every day

something for you to think about how

might this plague have helped make

fume more vulnerable to foreign attack

again how might the plague have helped

make

byzantium more vulnerable to foreign

attack

something for you to think about and to

answer

on our live session

another major reason or setback

where the attacks from east and west

so from the very start of its rise to

power byzantium faced constant

challenges from foreign enemies

so there were the lombards avarice slavs

bulgars russians

arab armies turks assassinated

persians so there were a lot of threats

surrounding their territory

so the byzantines used bribes diplomacy

political marriages and military power

to keep

their enemies at bay or to somehow ease

the tension between the tribes or these

people

these were the things that they did in

order to

ease the tension and uh

for them to somehow prevent

having wars or attacks against them

in the seventh century emperor

hirakthias reorganized the empire along

military lines

so what happened was provinces became

themes or military districts and each

province was ruled

by agenda or was run by a general who

reported directly to the emperor

and the byzantine empire still shrank

and constantinople fell to the ottoman

turks in 1453

so during the byzantine empire

christianity underwent dramatic

development

so because of the communication

difficulties and the splitting

of the east and the western empires

they develop christianity differently

these two regions or empires develop

christianity

differently and those differences grew

in terms of their doctrines and even

beliefs

so a religious split happened

so originally christianity had one

church but because of again

the distance between the east and the

west the lack of contact between the two

and even the political conflicts and

differences in beliefs

led to the division of the church

so it's the christian church split apart

in 1054

ce the pope and the patriarch

excommunicated

each other so what does that word mean

so it means to officially exclude

from participation in the church

so they are or they officially don't

belong

to the church anymore or they are

excluded to the

activities and even even masses

so here are the differences and even

in the similar similarities of both

so obviously both base their faith on

the gospel of jesus and the bible

and they use sacraments they were led by

priests and bishops and they seek to

convert

people so these are their differences

for the west the roman catholic church

they use latin as the language of

communication

in the church pope has the highest

authority

even over all kings and emperors

priests are not allowed to marry and

divert

the divorce is not permitted

on the east for the eastern orthodox

church

the greek or greek and other local

languages were used

patriarchs and bishops were the head of

the church

and the emperor is still higher

compared to the roman catholic church

which has the pope

as the highest authority so for the

eastern orthodox church priests may

marry

and divorce is allowed so those were the

differences in their or the main

differences

in their beliefs

so saint basil one of the early church

fathers around 357 wrote rules

for the life of the monks you can read

them

in page 304 of your pdf or your books

and he described how monks and

christians

should behave

so in short he wants christians

and monks not to live an extravagant

lifestyle wearing and eating

only what is according to his need

of the body another significant

figure was saint john chrysostom so

as the bishop of constantinople from 398

to 404

he was the patriarch or leading bishop

of the east

the controversy that tested the

emperor's authority over religious

matters

broke out in the 8th century

so so of controversy the tested

emperor's authority over religious

matters

broke out or happened in 7 30

do you the third emperor lee the third

band the use of icons or religious

images used by eastern

christians so the emperor saw or viewed

this

the use of icons as idol worship

and so he banned them and the people

responded with riots

and the clergy adult or

term used to describe the servants or

the priests

of the church

the two traditions of christianity

competed

for converts so missionaries from the

orthodox church for example took their

form of christianity

to the slavs so they were groups that

inhabited

the forests north of the black sea

and the two of the most successful

eastern missionaries

were saint methodius and saint cyril

they were among the slavs in the 9th

century

and formed or invented the cyrillic

alphabet so with an alphabet

slavs would be able to read the bible in

their own tongues

and many slavic languages including

russian

so that is now called the cyrillic

alphabet so as these missionaries

carried out their work

the slabs themselves were creating a

culture that would form one of history's

most

influential countries the russia

which we will study on our next session

so that's it for today i'll see you guys

soon