Rise Of Byzantine Empire Essay

The origins of the great Eastern Empire of Byzantium can be traced back to 330 CE when Emperor Constantine dedicated a Greek trading town as his imperial capital.(216) Though the Western Empire fell apart by 476 CE, the Eastern Empire lasted for more than a thousand years, bring forth a rich tradition of art, literature, and theology. The survival of the Byzantine Empire could be credited to its geographic advantages. Its capital, Constantinople (named after Emperor Constantine), was located on a strait between Asia and Europe which gave it control over the passage between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and access to the rich agricultural resources of both areas.(217) Under the rule of Justinian I, the Byzantine Empire flourished. He introduced the silk industry to the West which increased the Eastern Empire’s wealth and world influence. Justinian along with Tribonian revised and codified Roman law, establishing a law that became, in the centuries to come, a basis for Roman law in the
Christianity originated with Jesus, a Jew born during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the land of Judaea.(198) Jesus preached the coming of God’s kingdom and the freeing of Israel. Jesus urged a moral code based on compassion, love, charity, humility, and repentance.(200) The belief in his resurrection after his crucifixion became a centerpiece of Christian faith and the basis on which Christianity proclaimed Jesus as the Christ.(201) Jesus overcoming death was, to many, proof of him being the messiah promised by ancient prophets. This belief helped the religion spread farther among Jewish and Roman communities. Jews were eager to spread the news of the coming of Christ and fanned out across the eastern Mediterranean. The resurrection is the cornerstone of redemption in the Christian faith. Many Romans were drawn to the idea of salvation and freedom from sin that the resurrection