Byzantine Empire and Rise of Justinian (Video Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and people from the lecture notes on Byzantium, Justinian, and related topics.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire that survived after the fall of the Western Roman Empire; centered in Constantinople; Greek-speaking; referred to themselves as Romans.

Constantinople

Capital founded on Byzantium; renamed by Constantine; means 'city of Constantine' in Greek; major trade hub on the Bosporus.

New Rome

Another name for Constantinople, highlighting its role as the revived center of Roman civilization.

Bosporus

Narrow waterway linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean; strategic land bridge between Asia and Europe; center of trade.

Hagia Sophia

Christian church commissioned by Justinian I (completed 537); later converted to a mosque (1453) and then a museum (1934); renowned for Byzantine architecture.

Justinian I

Byzantine emperor (527–565) who reconquered lost lands, rebuilt infrastructure, and codified Roman law; known for the Hagia Sophia and military campaigns.

Theodora

Justinian’s wife and empress; influential advisor; champion of women’s rights and laws; may have been the empire’s major strategist during crises.

Belisarius

Chief general under Justinian; expanded the empire by reconquering North Africa, Italy, and parts of Spain; recruited diverse groups into the army.

Nika Revolt

Massive riot in Constantinople in 532 that threatened Justinian’s rule; thousands killed and the Hagia Sophia burned before suppression.

Code of Justinian (Corpus Juris Civilis)

Unified compilation of Roman law created 529–534; four parts (Codex, Digest, Institutes, Novellae) shaping law for centuries.

Codex, Digest, Institutes, Novellae

Four volumes of the Code of Justinian: Codex (laws), Digest (legal opinions), Institutes (law student textbook), Novellae (new laws).

"No one suffers penalty for merely thinking"

A principle in Justinian’s code emphasizing that thought alone could not be punished in law.

Justinian’s plague

Outbreak beginning in 541 that killed large portions of the population; contributed to long-term stagnation and urban decline.

Sasanian Persians

Persian Empire (Sasanian) and Byzantines were longtime eastern rivals; fought to expand and defend borders.

Vandals

Germanic kingdom in North Africa reconquered by Belisarius as part of Justinian’s expansion.

Goths

Germanic tribes who controlled parts of Italy; Byzantines reconquered Italy from Gothic control during Justinian’s campaigns.

Procopius

Historian and secretary to Belisarius; wrote Wars of Justinian, Buildings, and The Secret History; key source for his era.

The Secret History

Procopius’s critical, posthumously published account portraying Justinian, Theodora, and Belisarius in a less favorable light.

Izmit earthquake 1999

Massive Turkish earthquake linked to the North Anatolian Fault; prompted modernization of earthquake safety and monitoring.

North Anatolian Fault

Major seismic fault across northern Turkey; earthquakes tend to migrate westward; endangers Istanbul and landmarks like Hagia Sophia.