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Cultural Diffusion

The Byzantine Empire Influenced 

Russia by spreading Christianity 

and converting people. Many Slavic 

languages, including russian, were 

used to create the Cyrillic alphabet. 

Methodius and Cyril(Right) 

invented the Cyrillic alphabet. The 

slavs created the culture that 

formed Russia.

A long time ago, In a land far away, Rome was united, until the Emperor Diocletion decided 

that Rome was too big. To remedy the problem, he split the empire into an eastern and 

western half. The barbarian Germanic tribes tried to invade, but Since the Capital of the 

eastern half was Constantinolpe,also known as Byzantium, which was strategically placed 

for defense on the Bosporus Strait, so the eastern half of the empire was not defeated. As 

the eastern half went on to flourish, it became known as the Byzantine empire. When the 

emperor Justinian came in and restored the empire, he built a 14-mile stone wall around the 

city for protection.

Constantinople (left) was named 

after the emperor Constantine, 

who moved the capital to 

Byzantium and then named it 

called it Constantinople. 

Emperor 

Justinian

In the byzantine empire there was a high- ranking nobleman named 

Justinian. He succeeded his uncle for the throne and became 

emperor of the Byzantine empire. While in power he had three goals 

to improve the empire. One of his goals was to reconquer the lands 

to the west. With the help of his general, Balisarius, He conquered 

nearly all of Italy and the parts of spain. Justinian's next goal was to 

simplify roman law. So Justinian and his panel of legal experts 

created the Justinian Code. The code decided legal questions that 

regulated whole areas of Byzantine life. His last goal was to start a 

massive building program. This led him to reconstruct the Hagia 

Sophia. Justinian finally died in 565.

"My opinion is that now is a poor time for flight, 

even though it bring safety. For any man who has 

seen the light of day will also die, but one who 

has been an emperor cannot endure to be a 

fugitive. If now you wish to go, Emperor, nothing 

prevents you. There is the sea, there are the 

steps to the boats. But take care that after you 

are safe, you do not find that you would gladly 

exchange that safety for death. " - Theodora

     In this time there lived a Byzantine Woman, who sold 

her body for money. Her name was Theodora. Enraptured 

by the prostitute's looks and smarts, Justinian took her as 

his wife.

     Theodora was a politically savvy and ambitious 

woman, and ruled Byzantine with at least as much power 

as her husband. 

      Believing strongly in the rights and equality of 

women, Theodora made sure that women were treated 

with more fairness when they got divorced, and that 

young ladies were more protected against human 

trafficking.

     The quote to the left means that Justinian wanted to 

flee during the Nika Rebellion, but Theodora wanted him 

to stay.  

   Previously, the Constantine made Christianity 

legal in Byzantine, because he prayed to God 

before going into battle, and was protected. 

Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of 

the Roman empire in the Edict of Milan shortly after 

in 380. 

   Christianity started to develop differently in the 

eastern and western empires. Because of political 

issues and differences in belief, they split in 1054 

into the Eastern Orthodox church in the East and 

the Roman Catholic church in the West. 

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