Comparing Roman and Byzantine Empires | AP US History | Khan Academy
TLDRThis video delves into the Byzantine Empire, exploring its continuity and change from the Roman Empire. It begins with a review of the Roman Empire's governance structure around 400 AD, highlighting the division between the Western and Eastern Empires. The video marks the Byzantine Empire's beginning with Constantine's move of the capital to Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople. Despite the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the Eastern Roman Empire persisted, identifying as the Roman Empire rather than Byzantine, a term coined by later historians. The video discusses the resurgence under Justinian, the challenges posed by the spread of Islam, and the eventual sack of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire. It contrasts the Byzantine Empire with the Roman Empire in terms of power center, language, religion, law, governance, and culture, noting the shift from Latin to Greek, the Christian nature from inception, and the evolution of governance and legal systems influenced by Christianity. The video invites viewers to consider additional dimensions of similarity and difference between the two empires.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ The Byzantine Empire is considered a continuation of the Roman Empire, with the eastern part surviving the fall of the western Roman Empire.
- 👑 The Byzantines referred to themselves as Romans and their state as the Roman Empire, with the term 'Byzantine Empire' being a later historical designation.
- 📍 The administrative division of the Roman Empire was already separate for the east and west before the fall of the western part, with different capitals in Rome and Constantinople.
- 🕍 The shift of the capital to Byzantium (later Constantinople) by Constantine marks the beginning of the Byzantine period, although he was emperor of both east and west.
- 📈 There was a resurgence under Emperor Justinian, who managed to reclaim parts of the west, including Italy, but the empire later contracted, especially facing the spread of Islam.
- 🕊️ The religious landscape shifted from the Roman Pantheon to Christianity, becoming the official religion under Theodosius and deepening its Christian character over time.
- 📜 The legal system of the Byzantine Empire continued Roman law, with significant reforms by Justinian, though the language of the law shifted from Latin to Greek.
- 🌐 The governance structure evolved from the Roman provincial system to a more feudal-like system under Heraclius, with land grants given to rulers in exchange for military service and resources.
- 📚 The official language transitioned from Latin to Greek over time, with Heraclius declaring Greek the official language of the empire in the seventh century.
- 🏟️ Cultural elements like chariot racing continued from the Roman Empire, while others like the Olympics did not, due to Christian opposition.
- ⛪️ A significant spiritual and theological divide eventually formed between the Latin Christian church of the west and the Greek Christian church of the east, culminating in the Great Schism of 1054.
Q & A
What is the Byzantine Empire considered to be?
-The Byzantine Empire is considered to be the continuation of the Roman Empire after its fall, particularly the eastern part that continued to exist after the western Roman Empire fell into fragmentation.
Why did the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire start to be governed separately?
-Administrative challenges and geographical distance led to the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire being governed separately, with the west from Rome and the east from Constantinople.
Who is credited with the beginning of the Byzantine Empire and why?
-Constantine is credited with the beginning of the Byzantine Empire because he moved the capital to Byzantium, which was later renamed Constantinople, marking a significant shift in the empire's center of power.
How did the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 impact the eastern Roman Empire?
-The fall of the western Roman Empire led to its fragmentation into various Germanic kingdoms, but the eastern Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople, continued to exist and was not affected in the same way.
What was the official name for the eastern Roman Empire during its existence?
-The official name for the eastern Roman Empire during its existence was the Roman Empire. The term 'Byzantine Empire' was applied much later by historians to differentiate this period.
What significant change occurred in the Byzantine Empire under Justinian?
-Under Justinian, there was a resurgence where he was able to capture significant portions of the west, including the Italian peninsula, before the empire later contracted, especially due to the spread of Islam.
How did the Fourth Crusade impact the Byzantine Empire?
-The Fourth Crusade had a significant impact on the Byzantine Empire as western crusaders sacked Constantinople, which was a major blow to the empire's power and stability.
What was the official end of the Byzantine Empire and who was responsible for it?
-The official end of the Byzantine Empire came in 1453 when Constantinople was sacked by the Ottomans, marking the end of the eastern Roman Empire.
What was the primary language of the Roman Empire and how did it change in the Byzantine Empire?
-The primary language of the Roman Empire was Latin. In the early Byzantine Empire, Latin was used alongside Greek, but over time, Greek became more dominant, with Heraclius making it the official language in the seventh century.
How did the religion of the Roman Empire evolve into the Byzantine period?
-The Roman Empire's religion was initially the Roman Pantheon, but Christianity was legalized by Constantine and made the official religion by Theodosius. The Byzantine Empire, from its inception, had a Christian nature, which intensified over time, leading to the Great Schism in 1054 between the Latin and Greek Christian churches.
What was the role of Roman law in the governance of the Byzantine Empire?
-Roman law played a significant role in the governance of the Byzantine Empire. The empire continued the tradition of Roman law, with significant reforms and codifications, such as Justinian's Code and Leo III's Ecloga, which were increasingly influenced by Christian principles and written in Greek.
How did the administrative structure of the Byzantine Empire evolve over time?
-The administrative structure of the Byzantine Empire evolved from the Roman Empire's province system, with Diocletian's tetrarchy introducing smaller provinces and a hierarchy of governance. Under Heraclius in the mid-seventh century, the system became more feudal, with land grants given to local rulers in exchange for military service and resources.
What cultural elements from the Roman Empire were retained and which were eliminated in the Byzantine Empire?
-The Byzantine Empire retained some cultural elements from the Roman Empire, such as chariot racing and imperial celebrations. However, practices like the Olympics were eliminated, as Theodosius felt they were not in line with Christian tradition.
Outlines
🏛️ The Byzantine Empire: Continuity and Change from the Roman Empire
The video script begins with an introduction to the Byzantine Empire, emphasizing its roots as a continuation of the Roman Empire, even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The instructor aims to explore the elements of continuity and change between the unified Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. A historical review is provided, highlighting the administrative separation of the empire into Western and Eastern regions by the year 400, with the West governed from Rome and the East from Constantinople. The script discusses the renaming of Byzantium to Constantinople under Constantine and the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, leading to the Eastern Roman Empire's survival and self-identification as the Roman Empire. The instructor also touches on the resurgence under Justinian, the contraction of the Byzantine Empire due to the spread of Islam, the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, and the final fall to the Ottomans in 1453. The summary concludes with an invitation to consider the similarities and differences between the Byzantine and Roman Empires in terms of power centers, language, religion, law, governance, and culture.
📜 Byzantine Legacy: Law, Governance, and Cultural Traditions
The second paragraph delves into the legal, governance, and cultural aspects of the Byzantine Empire in comparison to the Roman Empire. It discusses the continuation of Roman law, with significant reforms by Justinian, aiming to make the law more consistent and clear. The script also mentions the gradual shift from Latin to Greek in legal documentation and the increasing Christian influence on the law. In terms of governance, the paragraph outlines the evolution from the Roman province system to the tetrarchy under Emperor Diocletian and further changes under Constantine. The Byzantine Empire later adopted a more feudal system under Heraclius, with land grants given to local rulers in exchange for military service and resources. Culturally, the Byzantine Empire retained some Roman traditions such as chariot racing and imperial celebrations, while others like the Olympics were discontinued due to their incompatibility with Christian values. The paragraph encourages further reflection on the dimensions of continuity and change from the Roman Empire to the Byzantine Empire.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Byzantine Empire
💡Roman Empire
💡Constantine
💡Justinian
💡Heraclius
💡Language
💡Christianity
💡Roman Law
💡Province
💡Cultural Traditions
💡Fall of the Western Roman Empire
💡Ottoman Empire
Highlights
The Byzantine Empire is considered a continuation of the Roman Empire, even though it was governed separately after the fall of the western Roman Empire.
Historians mark the beginning of the Byzantine Empire with the rule of Constantine, who moved the capital to Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople.
The fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 led to fragmentation, but the eastern Roman Empire continued with its capital at Constantinople.
The eastern Roman Empire did not call themselves Byzantines but identified as Romans, with the term 'Byzantine Empire' being a later historical distinction.
Under Justinian, there was a resurgence with significant portions of the west, including Italy, being captured.
The Byzantine Empire faced contraction, especially in the east, due to the spread of Islam.
The Fourth Crusade saw western crusaders sack Constantinople, marking a significant event in the empire's history.
The official end of the Byzantine Empire came in 1453 when Constantinople was sacked by the Ottomans.
The seat of power for the Roman Empire was Rome, which changed to Byzantium (Constantinople) under Constantine for the Byzantine Empire.
Language evolved from Latin to Greek becoming the official language under Heraclius in the seventh century.
The religion of the Roman Empire transitioned from the Roman Pantheon to Christianity, with the Byzantine Empire having a Christian nature from its inception.
The Great Schism in 1054 marked a spiritual split between the Latin Christian church and the Greek Christian church.
Roman law continued in the Byzantine Empire, with significant reforms by Justinian and later adaptations influenced by Christianity.
Governance evolved from the Roman province system to a more feudal-themed system under Heraclius, with land grants given to local rulers.
Cultural traditions like chariot racing continued in the Byzantine Empire, while others like the Olympics did not due to Christian tradition.
The Byzantine Empire both continued and eliminated certain Roman traditions, adapting to the changing times and cultural shifts.
Transcripts
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