Roman Empire Division and Byzantine Legacy

I. Division of the Roman Empire

Western Roman Empire

• Capital in Rome.
• Could not resist the invasions of the barbarians (peoples settled beyond the frontier, originating from Germany).
• Barbarians overthrew the last emperor in 476.
• Occupied the territory, transformed the political system, and divided it into kingdoms:
  • Swabians and Visigoths (Hispania)
  • Ostrogoths (Italy)
  • Angles and Saxons (Britain)
  • Franks (Gaul)
  • Vandals (North Africa)
• Trade disappeared, and life returned to be rural.

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Capital in Constantinople.
• Rejected barbarian invasions and maintained its organization until the fifteenth century.
• Experienced a period of splendor.

Christian and Muslim Culture

Christian Culture

• Highlighted the Frankish Kingdom and the Byzantine Empire.
• The Frankish Kingdom became known as the Carolingian Empire in the eighth century, becoming the largest territory in Western Europe in the ninth century.

Muslim Culture

• Emerged in Arabia.
• Spread westward to North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
• In the East, it reached the Indus River.
• Characterized by Islam.

Byzantine Empire: Influence and Decline

Influence of East and West

The rule received a double influence: the Greek East assimilated language, constantly replacing the term 'Emperor' with that of Basileus. The West retained Roman law and administration.

Time of Justinian

Concentrated efforts on the recovery of territories such as Italy, North Africa, and southern and southeastern Iberica.

After Justinian

Lost territories in Western Europe. Muslims and Persians seized Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. The empire was reduced to Italy, Greece, the Balkans, and Asia Minor.

Crisis of the Byzantine Empire from the 11th Century

• Began due to struggles for the throne, leading to decline.
• The Turks attacked the empire and took over Asia Minor.
• The empire was reduced to Constantinople, Greece, Thrace, and Macedonia.
• Religion: A schism occurred between the Eastern and Western churches.
• Society: Large landholders increased their holdings at the expense of farmers.

Invasion of the Ottoman Turks

The empire was reduced to the capital, Constantinople, Thrace, and Peloponnese cities. Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople, renaming it Istanbul.

Organization of the Byzantine Empire

• Emperor centralized power.
• Territory divided into themes or provinces.
• Strong and effective administration.
• Powerful army.

Economy

Agriculture

This was one of the main economic activities. Each theme specialized in one product. There were abundant large estates worked by settlers and slaves, and the number of small rural proprietors increased.

Crafts

Very prosperous. Silks, perfumes, and soaps were manufactured. Craftsmen were organized into guilds.

Trade

Developed significantly until the eleventh century, when it entered a crisis. The coin was the solidus. They exported cloth, wine, and manufactured goods, and imported leather, ivory, myrrh, furs, and slaves.