CHAPTER 11 GUIDED READING The Byzantine Empire

1 McDougal Littell Inc. All rights ,Chapter11 NameDateGUIDED READINGThe Byzantine EmpireSection ConclusionsAs you read about the history of Constantinople, theleading city of the Byzantine Empire , take notes to answer questions about thetime becomes ruler of theeastern completes building the Hagia plague sweeps armies invade Constantinoplefor the first of three splits into the Roman Catholic Church in thewest and the Orthodox Church in the knights from Europepillage falls to OttomanTu CausesOn the back of this paper, explain how iconsandexcommunicationhelped lead to a split between Rome and What did Justinian accomplish during his reign?

2 2. How did the plague affect Constantinople?3. How did the Byzantines first try to prop up theirshaky Empire ?4. What factors led to the schism?5. What was the effect of the split?6. What factors enabled the city to survive foreignattacks for hundreds of years before finally falling?wh10a-IDR-0311_P1 11/24/2003 3:12 PM Page 22 Byzantines, Russians, and Turks Interact29 McDougal Littell Inc. All rights 1 CHAPTER11 PRIMARY SOURCE fromSecret Historyby ProcopiusIn 533 the Byzantine army led by General Belisarius wrested North Africa fromthe Vandals. Byzantine court historian Procopius, who accompanied the general,wrote the Historiesin support of his campaigns.

3 But, in 550, Procopius alsowroteSecret history ,which he intended to be published after his death. As youread this excerpt from Secret history , think about the portrait that Procopiuspaints of the Byzantine emperor Justinian was not a man, but a demon, as Ihave said, in human form, one might prove byconsidering the enormity of the evils he broughtupon mankind. For in the monstrousness of hisactions the power of a fiend is manifest. Certainlyan accurate reckoning of all those whom hedestroyed would be impossible, I think, for anyonebut God to make. Sooner could one number, I fancy,the sands of the sea than the men this Emperormurdered.

4 Examining the countries that he madedesolate of inhabitants, I would say he slew a tril-lion people. For Libya [North Africa], vast as it is,he so devastated that you would have to go a longway to find a single man, and he would be remark-able. Yet eighty thousand Vandals capable of bear-ing arms had dwelt there, and as for their wivesand children and servants, who could guess theirnumber? Yet still more numerous than these werethe Mauretanians, who with their wives and chil-dren were all exterminated. And again, manyRoman soldiers and those who followed them toConstantinople, the earth now covers; so that if oneshould venture to say that five million men per-ished in Libya alone, he would not, I imagine, betelling the half of reason for this was that after the Vandalswere defeated, Justinian planned, not how hemight best strengthen his hold on the country, norhow by safeguarding the interests of those whowere loyal to him he might have the goodwill of hissubjects: but instead he foolishly recalled Belisariusat once, on the charge that the latter intended tomake himself King (an idea of which Belisarius wasutterly incapable), and so that he might manageaffairs there himself and be able to plunder thewhole of Libya.

5 Sending commissioners to valuethe province, he imposed grievous taxes wherebefore there had been none. Whatever lands weremost valuable, he seized, and prohibited the Ariansfrom observing their religious ceremonies. Negligenttoward sending necessary supplies to the soldiers,he was overstrict with them in other ways; where-fore mutinies arose resulting in the deaths of he was never able to abide by established cus-toms, but naturally threw everything into confusionand disturbance..So while he was Emperor, the whole earth ranred with .. blood..fromProcopius,Secret history ,translated by RichardAtwater. Reprinted in Alvin M. Josephy, ed.

6 , The HorizonHistory of Africa (American Heritage, 1971), QuestionsAnalyzing Issues1. How would you characterize Procopius opinionof Justinian?2. What evidence does Procopius offer to supporthis opinions of Justinian? and Supporting OpinionsDo youthink that Procopius depiction of Justinian in thisexcerpt is accurate? Why or why not?wh10a-IDR-0311_P8 11/24/2003 3:12 PM Page 29 PRIMARY SOURCEThe Hagia Sophiaby ProcopiusThe Byzantine emperor Justinian ordered his official court historian, Procopius,to document his ambitious public building program. Procopius wrote OnJustinian s Buildingsin 555 in which he described Hagia Sophia, the Church ofthe Holy Wisdom, in Constantinople.

7 Completed in about 537, this magnificentchurch was considered the largest Christian building in the world. How wouldyou describe this church in your own words? Section 1It is, indeed, a proof of the esteem with whichGod regarded the Emperor, that He furnishedhim with men who would be so useful in effectinghis designs, and we are compelled to admire theintelligence of the Emperor, in being able tochoose the most suitable of mankind to carry outthe noblest of his church consequently presented a most glo-rious spectacle, extraordinary to those who beheldit, and altogether incredible to those who are toldof it. In height it rises to the very heavens, andovertops the neighbouring buildings like a shipanchored among them: it rises above the rest of thecity, which it adorns, while it forms a part of it.

8 It is singularly full of light and sunshine; you woulddeclare that the place is not lighted by the sunfrom without, but that the rays are produced withinitself, such an abundance of light is poured into thischurch .. Thus far I imagine the building is notincapable of being described, even by a weak andfeeble tongue. As the arches are arranged in aquadrangular figure, the stonework between themtakes the shape of a triangle.. A spherical-shaped dome .. makes it exceedingly beautiful;from the lightness of the building it does notappear to rest upon a solid foundation, but to coverthe place beneath as though it were suspendedfrom heaven by the fabled golden chain.

9 Thesight causes men to constantly change their point ofview, and the spectator can nowhere point to anypart which he admires more than the rest, but hav-ing viewed the art which appears everywhere, mencontract their eyebrows as they look at each point,and are unable to comprehend such workmanship,but always depart thence stupified through theirincapacity to comprehend entire ceiling is covered with pure gold,which adds glory to its beauty, though the rays oflight reflected upon the gold from the marble sur-pass it in beauty; there are two porticos on eachside, which do not in any way dwarf the size of thechurch, but add to its width.

10 Of these two por-ticos, the one is set apart for male, and the otherfor female worshippers; there is no variety in them,nor do they differ in any respect from one another,but their very equality and similarity add to thebeauty of the church.. Whoever enters there toworship perceives at once that it is not by any humanstrength or skill, but by the favour of God that thiswork has been perfected; his mind rises sublime tocommune with God, feeling that He cannot be faroff, but must especially love to dwell in the placewhich He has chosen.. [M]oreover, it is impossi-ble accurately to describe the treasure of gold andsilver plate and gems, which the Emperor Justinianhas presented to it; but by the description of one ofthem, I leave the rest to be inferred.