Fall of the Roman Empire
What major economic problem contributed to Rome’s decline?
A large trade imbalance; Rome imported more than it produced.
Which emperor reorganized the imperial government and divided the empire in half?
Emperor Diocletian
What was the main religion of the Byzantine Empire?
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
What geographic feature made Constantinople easy to defend?
Built on a peninsula surrounded by water
What was the name of Justinian’s most famous church?
Hagia Sophia
What was one reason Rome hired foreign mercenaries?
The Roman military weakened, so they depended on hired soldiers
What was Justinian’s most important legal contribution?
The Justinian Code
Who led the Catholic Church in Western Europe?
Who led the Eastern Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe?
Pope
Byzantine Emperor
Which two seas does Constantinople connect?
The Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea
What did Byzantines preserve from the Romans for future generations?
Greco-Roman culture, science, philosophy, architecture, and medicine
Who moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople?
Emperor Constantine
Which empress influenced Justinian’s rule and encouraged church building?
Which empress influenced Justinian’s rule and encouraged church building?
What language did Catholics in Western Europe speak, and what language did Eastern Orthodox Christians speak?
Latin in the West, Greek in the East
Why did the Ottoman Turks target Constantinople in 1453?
Its strategic location made it the key to controlling trade and expanding into both Europe and Asia
Which empire finally captured Constantinople in 1453? What weapon led them to victory?
The Ottoman Empire
Gunpowder Cannons
Which European group conquered the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE?
The Germanic barbarians
Name one way the Byzantine Empire preserved Roman traditions.
Roman-style architecture, forums, law codes, or Greco-Roman education
What event in 1054 CE permanently divided Christianity into two branches?
The Great Schism between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
Name two defensive strategies used to protect Constantinople’s harbor.
Theodosian Walls
Heavy Chains
Greek Fire
What alphabet did Byzantine missionaries create for the Slavs? What were their names?
The Cyrillic alphabet
Cyril and Methodius
Name two major social or political causes of Rome’s decline.
Widespread corruption, civil wars, depopulation from epidemics, or growing divide between rich and poo
Which lands did Justinian reconquer during his reign?
Justinian retook Rome and regained parts of Italy, Spain, and North Africa
What are icons, and why were they so controversial in the Byzantine Empire?
Religious images used in worship; Emperor Leo III banned them, believing they were idol worship
What is the Bosporus Strait, and why was it important to the Byzantine Empire?
A narrow waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean; it made Constantinople a key trade and military hub
How did Byzantine culture influence Russia?
Russian rulers adopted Orthodox Christianity the title tsar, architecture, and called themselves 3rd Rome