Procopius
definition: Wrote about the smuggling of silk worms and sericulutre techniques from China significance: Demonstrated Chinese influence
Constantine
definition: Roman Emperor (4th century A.D.) who promoted tolerance to all religions in the Roman Empire and legalized Christianity significance: founder of Constantinople and first leader of Byzantium
Justinian
definition: Byzantine emperor in the 6th century A.D., initiated an ambitious building program, including Hagia Sofia, as well as a new legal code significance: led the creation of Hagia Sofia and corpus irius civilis
Theodora
definition: the wife of Justinian, originally a prostitute significance: influenced Justinian who influenced the Byzantium empire
Belisarius
definition: Justinian's top general who reconquered much of Africa and tried to reconquer Europe significance: demonstrated attempts to re-conquer the fallen Roman empire
Basil II
definition: Bulgar-slayer, using themes he moved west and destroyed the Bulgars significance: Destroyed Bulgars, demonstrated theme system
Liudprand of Cremona
definition: an ambassador whom Otto sent on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople in 968, insulted Byzantium and its emperor significance: strained relationships between the west and Byzantium
Arius
definition: theologist who didn't accept that Jesus was divine (Arianism) and was outlawed as a heretic significance: demonstrated caesaropapism
Leo III
definition: imposed iconoclasm for fear that they were being worshiped as physical idols significance: imposed iconoclasm
St. Simeon Stylites
definition: popular Pillar saint, influenced the creation of monastaries significance: popular Pillar Saint, influenced the creation of monastaries
St. Basil of Caesarea
definition: urged reforms of monasteries that increased their efficiency significance: helped spread Christianity by increasing efficiency
St. Cyril
definition: first of two popular missionaries that invented the Cyrillic alphabet and used that to explain the Bible significance: invented Cyrillic alphabet, spread Christianity
St. Methodius
definition: second of two popular missionaries that invented the Cyrillic alphabet and used that to explain the Bible significance: invented Cyrillic alphabet, spread Christianity
Vladimir of Kiev
definition: convert to Christianity, despite being a drunkard significance: affirmed Byzantium's rule on Russia
Byzantion
definition: a modest market town turned military and economic center of the Byzantine empire significance: led to the name "Byzantium"
Constantinople
definition: the capital of the eastern Roman Empire and later of the Byzantine Empire significance: The "heart" of Byzantium, once destroyed, so was Byzantium
Caesaropapism
definition: the doctrine that the state is supreme over the church in ecclesiastical matters significance: used in Byzantium to decide on several ecclesiastical matters
Hagia Sophia
definition: the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople, built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian significance: Demonstrated Byzantine intelligence, also influenced Russia
Corpus iuris civilis
definition: "Body of Civil Law," Justinian's codification of Roman law significance: demonstrated Justinian influence, idea is used today
Greek fire
definition: a mixture used by Byzantine Greeks that was often shot at adversaries that would ignite significance: facilitated battles and victories for Byzantine
Theme
definition: administrative division of the Byzantium empire in which generals would oversee aristocrats to keep the free peasantry strong significance: allowed mobilizations of troops and tax revenue
Bezant
definition: Byzantine gold coin; the standard currency of the Byzantium empire significance: standardized coinage facilitated trade
Hippodrome
definition: the Colosseum of the Byzantian empire where the Greens and Blues were held significance: kept the masses entertained and distracted
Greens and Blues
definition: teams that fought in the Hippodrome and caused major social unrest significance: caused social unrest, but also unity to protest taxes
Arianism
definition: doctrine stating that Jesus was not God but created by God, taught by Arius significance: demonstrated caesaropapism
Iconoclasm
definition: deliberate destruction within a culture of the culture's own religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually for religious or political motives significance: led to the schism of 1054 and several revolts
Pillar saints
definition: saints that prayed on pillars to demonstrate their aesthetic lifestyle significance: promoted the creation of monasteries
Mount Athos
definition: an autonomous area in northeastern Greece that is the site of several Greek Orthodox monasteries founded in the tenth century significance: prominent monastary
Eastern Orthodox Church
definition: Christian followers in the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire); split from Roman Catholic Church and shaped life in eastern Europe significance: product of the Schism of 1054
Crusades
definition: series of holy wars from 1096-1270 AD undertaken by European Christians to free the Holy Land from Muslim rule significance: forty-two
Battle of Manzikert
definition: battle between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuk Turks (Muslims) in 1071, where the Byzantine lost significance: commenced the downfall of Byzantium
Saljuqs
definition: Turkish tribe that gained control over the Abbasid empire and fought with the Byzantine empire, sealed their grain significance: sealed the fate of Byzantium
Ottomans
definition: Turks who had come to Anatolia in the same wave of migrations as the Seljuks significance: sealed the fate of Byzantium
Bulgars
definition: defeated Eastern Romans, took possession of the lower Danube River, set base for Bulgarian kingdom significance: helped the downfall of Byzantium
Cyrillic alphabet
definition: Russian alphabet, brought by Greek Orthodox Christian missionaries who brought Christianity to Russia significance: facilitated teaching and the creation of government in the Slavic area
Kiev
definition: trade city in southern Russia established by Scandinavian traders in 9th century; became focal point for kingdom of Russia that flourished to 12th century significance: center of Russia, the "world's third Rome"