Heirs of Rome

The Byzantine Empire The Muslim Empire Christian Europe

The Empire at its height, c 250

Diocletian, The Tetrarchy, 285 CE

In 324, Constantine moves East

The Germanic Tribes c. 362

Justinian the Great, 527-565 Three principal goals: 1) restore the western provinces 2) reform the laws and institutions 3) promote art and architecture to new heights

Corpus Juris Civilis, the Body of Civil Law

Hagia Sophia, 532-537

As Emperor and Church Patriarch, he claimed his power by Divine Right

Trade and Industry flourished

Mosaics

By 1071, Seljuk Turks threatened Byzantine independenceturned to Rome for help!

The Byzantine Legacy

It prevented Muslim Arabs from advancing into Eastern Europe The codification of the laws of ancient Rome under Justinian Preserved and expanded the philosophy, science, mathematics and literature of ancient Greece.

Muhammad (570-632) and Islam

Around 610, Muhammad was a prosperous merchant

Visited by the Angel Gabriel

His utterances were collected in The Koran (Quran) & The Hadith

Islam in 632

The Muslim Empire

Theocracy: government and religion are inseparable Muslim view: God is the only source of all laws and political authority Divine law (Koran) regulated all aspects of political authority and the Caliph of Baghdad was Gods earthly deputy. Christians and Jews were restricted but tolerated as people of the book

The Muslim Golden Age The 8th & 9th Centuries

The Arab Empire stretched from Spain to India and was unified by a common language, religion and culture Muslims preserved and expanded the Greco-Roman-Byzantine achievements in science, philosophy and mathematics

Muslim contributions to civilization

Education- great universities at Cairo, Baghdad and Cordova Mathematics- introduced Arabic numerals, furthered the study of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry Science- discovered many chemical compounds, including sulfuric acid Agriculture- improved farming by crop rotation and fertilizers Industry- Cordovan leather; Damascus swords; damask cloth; crystal glass; smooth paper; beautiful rugs Navigation- they believed the world to be round Literature- 1001 Arabian Nights Medicine- used anesthetics, compiled medical texts

A page from Avicennas Medieval Text, 1032

The Mongol Empire of Genghis Kahn

The Mongols
In the early 1200s, Mongols controlled the eastern half of the Arab empire. After Khans death in 1227, Mongol advances continued In 1258, Baghdad was plundered and burned. 50,000 dead, including the last Baghdad Caliph For 200 years, Mongols devastated palaces, libraries and universities

The rise of Christian Europe

The cultural greatness of the Byzantine and Islamic Empires enriched the western world but did not produce the major breakthroughs that created the modern world. That is the singular achievement of western Europe.

Barbarian kingdoms in 526

Romes last gasps

Theodoric the Great - Goth king ruled Italy from Rome489-526 after killing King Odoacer His rule was enlightened, peaceful and just, praised by Romans and barbarians Retained the Roman Senate, civil service and schools. Old, aristocratic families still held high positions in the government

The Rise of Christianity

The followers of Jesus believed He was the son of God sent to humankind as savior. His teachings, presented in the New Testament became the basis of a new religion St Paul,(1st C.) Apostle to the Gentiles St Peter, (1st C.) the first Bishop of Rome shaped the internal structure of Christianity

Christianity gained many converts:

People were dissatisfied with the old pagan religions and were attracted by the ideas of One God, universal love and eternal salvation Early Christians displayed courage and sincerity, willing to suffer persecution rather than renounce their faith. The concept of equality appealed to the poor and oppressed Missionaries could travel and preach- Romes transportation system!

Growth of the Papacy

The twilight of Rome were formative years for the Church:

Emperor Theodosius (392) Leo I (440-461)- Pontifex Maximus Gelasius I (492-496) Pattern of worldly involvement Doctrine of Bishops power over kings Gregory I (590-604), established the church as a secular power

Pope Gregory The Great, 590-604

568 Lombard invasions Maintained productive lands - kept food coming into Rome Ransomed captives Organized defense of the city Sponsored hospitals and schools Aided women and orphans Negotiated truce in 598

The Church as Unifier

Became the dominant institution after the collapse of Roman authority - assumed many political functions It preserved the high culture of the GrecoRoman civilization Membership in a universal religion (Catholic) replaced membership in a universal empire (Rome) Taught a higher morality than Germanic culture

St. Benedict 529 Monte Cassino

Father of the Monastic Movement drew up a manual of conduct for monks and nuns.

The Medieval monk

Monks and nuns built monasteries and converted the people Maintained libraries with theological works and the ancient Latin classics Reclaimed the land and instructed peasants in farming -rejected classical disdain for manual labor Provided help to the old, the sick, the destitute Adopted a code of poverty

 A monk being tonsured.

 Monks tended the wheat and barley fields as well as the vinyards

Monks worked in a Scriptorium

Any Questions?