G REECE & R OME 168 BC Battle of Pydna ( Macedonia becomes
a Roman prefecture) 146 BC Battle of Lefkopetra ( the whole Greece
is conquered by the Romans) 133 BC The Kingdom of Pergamum is
devised to the Roman Empire by Attalus the 3 rd by his testament
Greece becomes a part of Imperium Romanorum
Slide 3
T HE R OMANS AND THEIR EMPIRE
Slide 4
R OMAN OR BYZANTINE EMPIRE ? The term Byzantine Empire was
NEVER used by the Byzantines. Hieronymus Wolf used the term for the
1 st time in 1562 AD. Byzantium was actually the state which
continued the Roman Empire. The most powerful leaders in the east
or the west part of the Empire claimed for themselves the title
King of the Roman Empire. The basic structure and functions of the
Byzantine Empire were based on those of its Roman ancestor.
Slide 5
T HE BEGINNING OF B YZANTINE HISTORICAL PERIOD o 293 AD
Diocletian divides the Roman Empire in two and then (301 AD) in
four administrative areas, governed by two Caesars and two Augusts
(tetrarchy). o 312 AD Constantine (the Great) becomes the August of
the West Roman Empire o 324 AD Constantine becomes the only leader
of the Roman Empire Byzantine Historical Period begins
Slide 6
T HE N EW R OME 330 AD The capital of the Roman Empire is
transferred from Rome to Byzantium and a new city is built there:
Constantinople (= the city of Constantine) The new capital city
was: o nearer the east borders of the Empire, where there were
dangerous enemies o located on a very significant geographical
point o not related to the persecutions of the Christians
Slide 7
T HE NEW PROFILE The profile of the new Empire was based on the
following elements: o the Roman political tradition (law,
administration, etc) o the Christian faith (that constantly became
stronger) o Greek culture (philosophy, art, science, etc.)
Slide 8
T HE INCREASE OF THE C HRISTIAN & G REEK INFLUENCE The
Christian religion was no more persecuted (since 313 AD) and became
the official religion of the Empire by Theodosius the Great in 381
AD. Latin was the official language of the Empire, but Greek was
the language of the educated and the Church and was spoken by the
inhabitants of the whole East Empire (Koine). Some official
documents were also written in Greek since the 4 th century AD
(although Latin was still the official language) and the use of
Greek language finally became official in the end of the 6 th
century AD.
Slide 9
E ASTERN & W ESTERN EMPIRE 395 AD Division of the Empire
into the Eastern (Arcadius) & Western (Onorius) part The
Eastern Empire now is limited in an area with strong Greek and
Christian character.
Slide 10
T HE WEST ROMAN EMPIRE 4 th century AD Emigration of the Huns
to the West Immigration of German tribes westwards 476 AD End of
the West Roman Empire, because of its conquest by the Goths
Division to many different states, inhabited by German tribes
Slide 11
T HE J USTINIAN AGE (6 TH CENTURY AD) Achievement of
reconquista (= re- conquest) The Empire regains almost all its lost
regions in the West and the East
Slide 12
T HE J USTINIAN AGE (6 TH CENTURY AD) Systematic codification
of the laws (Corpus Iuris Civilis), which became the base of the
later European law- systems Laws written from the beginning in the
Greek language (Neares) Serious attempt to confront the feudalists
(dynatoi)
Slide 13
A GIA S OFIA S CHURCH 532-537 AD Building of Agia Sofia s
Basilica by Anthemios & Isidoros in Constantinople