Notes 9-28-09.doc

History 312 Notes ? September 28, 2009 I. The Age of Justinian (c. 482-565) A. The Reign of Justinian 1. last emperor that entertained any kind of notion of conquering the west a. set out to reunite east and west empire under Constantinople?s rule b. looking to the past to make the future of the empire 2. Financial distress and social unrest a. aimed to reunite the east and west b. with help of his General, Belisarius, was successful in adding several western areas back to the empire (Kingdom of Vandals, Visigoths & Ostrogoths) c. Justinian retakes Roman territory d. success came at a cost 1) bankrupted the East 2) destroyed the political structures in the West (chaos) a) banditry in the countryside b) people flocking to the cities to get away from the banditry c) Justinian?s conquest takes the new territory a step backward e. Justinian is aware of what?s going on in the west ? the unpopularity of his campaigns to reclaim the western empire 3. Strengthening the Monarchy a. Emphasized closeness to God; autocratic role b. Constantinople grows in importance 1) men of property move with their families to Constantinople 2) seat of power c. first eastern emperor to have his face on a coin d. Emphasized his Christianity e. wife was Empress Theadora f. built a church (in Constantinople) ? huge space; built as a monument to Christianity (is currently a mosque) g. went on a huge architectural campaign 1) built large cistern for drinking water needs 2) built aqueducts that would lead to the reservoir 4. Law and Religion a. Corpus Irus Civilis (the Body of Civil Law) ? very important for later Medieval history 1) codifies Roman law 2) Four parts that make up the Civiis: a) Institute ? (c 533) ? handbook of civil law b) Codex ? (c.529) law c) Novellae ? (c. 533) collection of new laws; only one of the four ?bodies of law? written in Greek; easier access for the people d) Digest ? (c 533) ? a handbook for clearing up disputed legal points. 3) important because it becomes the European law book 4) Only country not to have laws based on Corpus was England b. set out to guard religious ?purity?; persecuted those who did not believe the way he did ? no tolerance for polytheists 1) only criminalized male homosexuality c. policies drove Christians apart d. became obsessed with reuniting the empire; often held church councils himself; 533, called a council; jails the Pope for not making an adequate effort towards the reuninification