Chapter 8 - The Byzantine Empire and Emerging Europe

Flashcards covering the vocabulary and key figures of the Byzantine Empire and Emerging Europe from $$A.D. 50$$ to $$800$$.

procurator

An official in charge of a province in the Roman Empire during the period of $A.D. 50 - 800$.

transformation

A marked change in form or character in the Roman world and early European society.

clergy

Individuals who are ordained as leaders within the Christian Church.

laity

Regular members of the Christian Church who are not part of the ordained clergy.

bishopric

A Christian community or group of communities under the spiritual authority of a bishop.

monk

A man who separates himself from human society to live a life of total dedication to God.

monasticism

The practice of living the life of a monk, which was a core religious movement between $A.D. 50$ and $800$.

nun

A woman who separates herself from ordinary society to pursue a life of total religious devotion.

abbess

The female head of a community of nuns or a convent.

icon

A conventional religious image or painting used in the devotions of the Byzantine Empire.

idolatry

The worship of religious images, which became a significant point of conflict in the church.

schism

A formal split or division within a religious body arising from differences in belief.

Jesus

A Jewish teacher whose life and influence were foundational to religion and culture during this period.

Paul

An important figure who spread Christian teachings and impacted the culture of the Roman Empire.

Nero

The Roman emperor known for initiating early persecutions against Christians.

Constantine the Great

The first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, who issued the Edict of Milan.

Edict of Milan

The official decree issued in $A.D. 313$ that proclaimed official tolerance of Christianity.

Theodosius the Great

The emperor who made Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire.

Diocletian

The emperor who divided the Roman Empire into administrative units, including Eastern and Western divisions.

Western Roman Empire

The western half of the Roman Empire that experienced the Fall of Rome during this era.

Eastern Roman Empire

The surviving eastern half of the empire that developed into the Byzantine Empire.

Fall of Rome

The collapse of the Western Roman Empire caused by various political and social factors.

Pope Gregory I

A significant church leader who strengthened the power of the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church.

Benedict

The saint that established the standard rules for Western monastic life.

Abbess Hilda

The founder of the Whitby monastery and an important leader in the early European church.

Charlemagne

The King of the Franks who established the Carolingian Empire and was crowned emperor in $A.D. 800$.

Carolingian Empire

The vast empire established by Charlemagne in Western and Central Europe.

Charles Martel

The Frankish official who defeated Islamic forces and ensured the survival of emerging European kingdoms.

Justinian the Great

The Byzantine emperor known for his massive legal reforms and attempts to restore the Roman Empire.

Constantinople

The capital city of the Byzantine Empire and a major cultural and religious center.

Byzantine Empire

The surviving Eastern Roman Empire characterized by its unique impact of religion on culture.

Iconoclast Controversy

A major internal dispute in the Byzantine Empire regarding the use of religious icons in worship.

John of Damascus

A Byzantine theologian who defended the use of icons during the Iconoclast Controversy.

the Great Schism

The formal and final break between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches.