A New Rome

I. Byzantine Empire: Rome continued

A. Roman law, languages and traditions

B. Theological state

1. one emperor and one faith working together

2. strengths and weaknesses

a. unity

b. division

--monophysites vs. duophysites

--iconoclastic controversy (later)

II. Justinian and Theodora (527-565)

A. New height for Rome

1. Reconquest of Italy

2. Constantinople rebuilt on grand scale

3. Corpus Juris Civilis

B. Theodora saves the day

1. Nike riots

2. Theodora is not afraid

C. Constantinople in its glory

1. 600,000 people

2. Great walls, baths, gardens, churches, hippodrome

3. Hagia Sophia (537)

a. Roman art advanced

b. Christianity and Byzantine culture spreads in Eastern Europe

c. Vladimir of Kiev's ambassadors visit Constantinople, 987

III. Christianity in the West

A. No theological state

1. no real state--emperor of the West deposed, 476

2. Roman aristocrats become leaders of church instead

3. church is more autonomous than in Byzantium, but poorer

B. Two swords

1. conversion of barbarian overlords to Christianity

2. divide of cultural power and military power

3. Catholic/Aryan divisions causes problems for the Pope