How were cities administered in the early Byzantine Empire?

History

The city was governed by local officials and the senators they appointed. Civil and military matters were entirely separate, there was a civilian and military leader for each area. The civilian had the majority of the influence on city development and the military basically decided who was emperor.

How was the Byzantine Empire administered?

The Byzantine emperor (and sometimes empress) ruled as an absolute monarch and was the commander-in-chief of the army and head of the Church and government. He controlled the state finances, and he appointed or dismissed nobles at will, granting them wealth and lands or taking them away.

How did the Byzantines protect the city?

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great.

How did the Byzantine Empire maintain power?

They maintained this power, by using the code of laws, which had made them believe that there should be only one religion, Christianity. He told the people what they wanted to hear, from the help of Theodora and that was that Rome would be restored to its glory.

What cities were in the Byzantine Empire?

The largest of them were Constantinople, Alexandria and Antioch, with a population of several hundred thousand people. Large provincial centers had a population of up to 50,000. Although the spread of Christianity negatively affected urban institutions, in general, late antique cities continued to develop continuously.

What was the best defended city in history?

Constantinople was unconquered for 874 years
Located on a strategically ideal spot — the Bosphorus strait, Constantinople controlled the sea traffic between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and the trade routes between the two richest continents of the Medieval Ages, Asia and Europe.

What did the Byzantines use to defend their capital?

Byzantine used “Greek Fire” to defend their capital which contained petroleum.

What kind of economy did the Byzantine Empire have?

The Byzantine economy was among the most robust economies in the Mediterranean for many centuries. Constantinople was a prime hub in a trading network that at various times extended across nearly all of Eurasia and North Africa.

What was the power structure of the Byzantine Empire in religious matters?

What was the power structure of the Byzantine Empire in religious matters? The pope ruled over the bishops.

How were Byzantine emperors elected?

In theory, current since the time of Augustus and later formalized in aspects of the Byzantine coronation ceremony, the office of Roman emperor was elective, and the emperor was chosen by the Roman people, the Senate, and the army.

How did most citizens of the Byzantine Empire?

How did most citizens of the Byzantine Empire relate to the Roman Empire? … They created art that was identical to the work of the Roman Empire. They proudly rejected Roman traditions and values. They saw themselves as part of the Roman Empire.

What are the important cities of the Byzantine Empire 4 cities?

Here are 4 key cities in the Eastern Roman Empire.

Ephesus. Map of Asia Minor in the 8th century. …
Antioch. Map of Asia Minor in the 8th century. …
Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great in 330 BC, Alexandria was developed by the Ptolemaic dynasty into one of the greatest cities in the Mediterranean. …
Constantinople.

What was the Byzantine Empire known for?

The Byzantine Empire influenced many cultures, primarily due to its role in shaping Christian Orthodoxy. The modern-day Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian church in the world. Orthodoxy is central to the history and societies of Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, Serbia, and other countries.

What are two factors that made the Byzantine Empire successful?

Besides its economic advantages, having the capital in the east was a major plus because the east was where all the good fighting was going on. With the Bulgarians to the north and the Persians and later all the Islamic Caliphates to the east, keeping these wealthier provinces safe was essential and by no means easy.

Why was the Byzantine Empire successful?

Byzantine Empire Flourishes
It also benefited greatly from a stronger administrative center and internal political stability, as well as great wealth compared with other states of the early medieval period.

What trade routes did the Byzantine Empire use?

Although the region’s best known routes were those running between Europe and Asia at the western edge of the Silk Road, no less important were north-south overland routes across the Arabian Peninsula to eastern Africa.

How did the Byzantine Empire protect Europe?

Protection of Europe
The Byzantine Empire had also acted as a buffer between western Europe and the conquering armies of Islam. Thus, in many ways the Byzantine Empire had insulated Europe and given it the time it needed to recover from its chaotic medieval period.

What Defence did Constantinople?

The main line of defense was the Inner Wall, 40 feet in height and 15 feet thick, with a battlemented parapet five feet high that was accessed by stone ramps. Along its course at 175-foot intervals run 96 massive towers, each once capable of mounting the heaviest military engines of the day.

Why was Constantinople easily defended?

It was closer to the geographic center of the Empire. Since it was surrounded almost entirely by water, it could be easily defended (especially when a chain was placed across the bay).

Why was Constantinople a great city?

First settled in the seventh century B.C., Constantinople developed into a thriving port thanks to its prime geographic location between Europe and Asia and its natural harbor. In 330 A.D., it became the site of Roman Emperor Constantine’s “New Rome,” a Christian city of immense wealth and magnificent architecture.

Why was the city of Constantinople so important to the Byzantine Empire?

As the center of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople contained vast wealth and allowed the emperor to lead the Eastern territories from a close, central position. It was also the site of great works of architecture and culture.

How did the location of Constantinople make the Byzantine Empire stronger and efficient?

How did location contribute to the strength of the Byzantine empire? Its location on the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia made it a major center of trade; it commanded key trade routes. The empire therefore enjoyed economic prosperity.

Similar Posts: