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.