Geography & Trade
On what geographic crossroads did the Byzantine Empire form?
Between Europe and Asia
Under which ruler did the Byzantine Empire reconquer large areas of the Western Roman Empire?
Justinian
In what major way did Greece influence the Byzantine Empire?
Greek became the official language of the state
What popular sporting event had a massive influence on life and politics in Constantinople?
Chariot racing
What devastating event significantly weakened the Byzantine Empire during the sixth century?
The plague
What was the name of the Byzantine capital, strategically located between the Black and Mediterranean seas?
Constantinople
What was the significant legal achievement of Justinian that standardized the empire's laws?
The Justinian Code
What was the official name for the separation between the Eastern and Western Christian churches?
The East-West (or Great) Schism
From which group in Byzantine society were most military, church, and government leaders drawn?
The nobility (wealthy landowning families)
What religious force united Arab tribes in the 600s, leading them to challenge Byzantine power?
The Islamic faith
What was a major reason the Byzantine Empire was able to prosper economically?
It was located at a crossroads of trade
Who was Justinian's wife and a key figure in Byzantine politics?
Theodora
The Byzantines were famous for what art form that often decorated church walls and ceilings?
Mosaics
Which group was responsible for civil service tasks, such as collecting taxes and managing provincial governments?
The bureaucracy
What was the primary external cause of the decline and fall of the empire?
Attacks from outside forces
What did the economic activity and location of Constantinople encourage within the city?
Cultural diversity
What was the major construction project Justinian is best known for today?
The Hagia Sophia
What core practice did both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church share?
They based their belief on the Bible
Who held supreme authority over the military, the church, and the government bureaucracy?
The Emperor
What group finally conquered Constantinople and brought the empire to an end?
The Turks
How did the geography of the empire change under the rule of Justinian?
He nearly doubled the size of the empire
Which two specific regions were conquered by the Byzantine military during Justinian's reign?
Italy and Numidia
What architectural masterpiece is the defining symbol of Byzantine culture today?
The Hagia Sophia
Which group was part of the church hierarchy alongside the patriarch and local clergy?
Bishops
In what year did the Byzantine Empire officially fall under Turkish control?
1453