Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Byzantium: A Christian
Empire Under Siege
The Byzantine Empire in the Time of Justinian
Wars on the Frontiers
570 A.D. – 750 A.D.
• New Military
– “Greek Fire”
– Decline of the curial class and the
birth of farmer-soldiers
– The concept of themes
and strategos
The Byzantine Empire
• Culture Forms
– Byzantine Education
Religion, Politics,
and Iconoclasm
• Imperial Power
– The tagmata
– New wealth and prestige to the
Emperors
– Agricultural economy organized for
trade
– Commerce and trade as a political
weapon
Byzantium: Renewed
Strength and Influence
• Kievan Russia
– Not under direct rule but influenced
in Religion and Culture
– Religion united Kievan Russia and
Byzantium
– Grand Prince Vladimir and
Christianity
The Byzantine Empire in 1045 A.D.
A New Religion and a
New Empire
• The new religion of Islam grew out of
Bedouin society
• Islam emphasizes the relationship
between the individual and God
• Religion grew from town Mecca, a
commercial and religious center
• The Qur'an is understood to be God's
revelation as told to Muhammad
– emphasizes the nuclear family
– ummah: community of believers
Muhammad and Mecca
• Monarchs
• Aristocrats
• Women
• Merovingian Dynasty
Christianity and Classical
Culture in the British Isles
• Anglo-Saxon England
• Blended traditions
• Established schools
Unity in Spain,
Diversity in Italy
• North – Vikings
• South – Muslims
• East – Magyars
Section III
The Emergence of Local Rule in
the Post-Carolingian Age
Public Power and Private
Relationships
• Otto I
• German Kings appointed Bishops
and Archbishops
• Bishops held a lot of power
• Many of the Central European
countries converted