A. Coined by Renaissance historians
B. But period of MA not inconsiderable nor coherent
C. Early Middle Ages: end of 5th century to middle of 11th
1. new type of civilization
2. Roman Empire in the East become Byzantine
3. Moslems transform culture of part of the Roman world
4. Germanic and Scandinavian peoples settle down
5. Feudal society takes definite shape
6. Feudal kingdoms are established
7. United Catholic Christendom is formed
A. Foundation
1. Constantine establishes "New Rome".
2. In theory empire is one, but in time the East and West drift apart in language, religion, and politics.
3. Emperor of Constantinople claims lordship over West and in the 6th century. Justinian tries to restore the West to imperial rule
4. People claimed East was Roman but this is misleadingB. Justinian's Dream of Restoration
1. After Theodosius (395) a fight for survival
2. Justinian (527-565) trained by his uncle Justin (518-527)
3. "Emperor never sleeps" - but also weaknesses in a pinch as during the Nika riots
4. Aim is to restore empire to former greatness
6. In the process he establishes absolute, autocratic power - people move from subjects to "slaves"C. Reconquest of the West
1. Vandal kingdom of Africa (dynastic crisis the great pretext) under brilliant general Belisarius - 533
2. Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy - 535-40 (south of the Po) - but war drags on
3. part of Visigothic kingdom of SpainD. Diplomacy and Defense
1. The aim is to dominate the barbaric tribes
a. Lombards, etc.
b. Slavs
c. Bulgars
d. Avars2. Ring of forts (600 in the Balkans alone)
3. Diplomats famous for unscrupulous subtlety
4. Balkans ravaged by Slavs
E. Public Buildings
1. Very costly
a. military and diplomatic (bribes) operations
b. roads, aqueducts, bridges, theatres, palaces and churches2. Saint Sophia - a monument to his reign eventually it became a mosque - now it is a museum
F. Administrative Reforms
1. hated methods of John of Cappadocia - need for money
2. Led to Nika Riots in 532
3. Riot led to reforms
a. stopped illegal exactions
b. checked corruption
c. stopped sale of offices
d. increased salaries
4. Result: new administrative machine preserved empire
G. Justinian and the Church
1. Justinian was a theologian at heart
2. asserted right of emperor to decide dogma and force acceptance by church and people
3. church became a department of state
H. Justinian's Code
1. Two kinds of Roman law
a. direct imperial legislation :"constitutions")
b. jurisprudence - decisions by judges and lawyers
2. Great mass of unwieldy laws accumulated
3. Committee of Ten Jurists: Corpus Juris Civilis
a. Codex Justinianus :legislation condensed, simplified and arranged logically
b. Digest :condensation and simplification of decisions
c. Institutes :handbook for students of the law
d. Novels :laws issued by Justinian himself
4. It forms the basis of civil law in most European countries to this very day
I. The failure of Justinian's Dream
1. plans of conquest and reconstruction exceeded financial resources of empire
2. conquest of the West was a mistake
A. Loss of territory (568-700)
1. Lombards invade and conquer Italy
2. Visigoth retake Spain
3. Slavs take Balkan provinces except Thrace
4. Arabs take Africa and Asia except for Asia Minor
B. Survival of Empire
1. In spite of the numerous problems, the empire had recuperative power
2. Elements of strength
a. role of powerful personalities : advantage of autocracy
b. people tenaciously orthodox and Hellenic in spirit
c. geography favors trade
d. impregnable city of Constantinople: only twice taken by siege
3. Elements of weakness
a. no fixed rule of succession
b. if nominee of emperor not acceptable the result is intrigue and violence
c. social weakness:1) cultivated, luxurious, pleasure-loving society;
2) yet exaggerated - "It may be doubted whether any empire can live by vice alone";
3) hippodrome: center of social life: chariot races, Greens versus Bluesd. theological arguments and fanatical spirit
1) Greek versus Latin
2) Schism of 1054
4. learning and literature
a. Bible and works of Greek Church fathers
b. half of literature was theology
c. Greek classics basis of education
d. Byzantine society remained cultured and learned while Europe slips into dark ages
5. Art
a. Saint Sophia - architecture
b. icons and pictures of saints
c. Greek heritage and oriental color and luxurious ornament
d. fixed religious conceptions but also variety and versatility
6. Influence on Slavic nations
a. Slavs look to Byzantium for religious and cultural leadership
b. Also influence on1) church
2) writing (alphabet)
3) art and architecture
4) foreign trade
7. Influence on the West
a. foothold in Italy until the 11th century
b. throughout the rest of the Middle Ages there is commerce between Venice and Italian cities and Constantinople
c. art forms present in Ravenna and other cities
d. preserved body of Roman law, Greek literature and art