Byzantine Empire Vocabulary

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Justinian

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Byzantine emperor (527–565 AD) who ruled from Constantinople. Reunified parts of the former Roman Empire, led legal and building reforms, and strengthened imperial authority.

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Justinian Code

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A codification of Roman law completed under Emperor Justinian around 529–534 AD in Constantinople. Preserved Roman legal principles, became the foundation for Byzantine law and influenced European legal systems.

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Hagia Sophia

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Grand cathedral built in Constantinople under Justinian, completed in 537 AD. Architectural and religious landmark combining engineering innovation with imperial Christian worship; later converted to a mosque and museum.

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Hippodrome

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Large public stadium in Constantinople used for chariot races and political gatherings during the Byzantine era (notably 6th century onward). Center for entertainment and public life; a venue where emperors faced public opinion and political unrest.

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Walls of Theodosius

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Massive defensive walls built and expanded around Constantinople in the late 4th–5th centuries (Theodosius II era) in the Eastern Roman Empire. Protected Constantinople for centuries, helping the city resist sieges and preserve Byzantine civilization.

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Eastern Orthodox Church

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Christian church centered in Constantinople that developed distinct liturgy and leadership after the early Middle Ages (split formalized in 1054 AD). Shaped religious life, culture, and politics in Eastern Europe and the Byzantine Empire.

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Patriarch

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Senior bishop and chief religious leader of a major Christian see (e.g., the Patriarch of Constantinople) in the Byzantine period. Held major ecclesiastical authority, influenced doctrine and church-state relations in Eastern Christianity.

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Icon

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Religious image or painting of Christ, Mary, or saints used in Byzantine and Orthodox Christian worship. Form of religious artwork, serve as “windows” to the heaven, and to connect heaven to physical world.

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Excommunication

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Church penalty of excluding a person from church and community, used by Christian churches (East and West) throughout the Middle Ages. Powerful tool for enforcing church discipline and influencing political leaders.

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Schism

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Formal split between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in 1054 AD (Great Schism), centered on Rome and Constantinople. Created two enduring branches of Christianity with separate beliefs and institutions.