Byzantine Empire
Why did it collapse? or survive?
Thesis
Although the Byzantine Empires counterpart in the west fell, the Byzantine Empire stayed alive because of there prosperous economy, well-ordered central government, and strong relationship with their religion.
(1025) AD
This is a map of the Byzantine Empire at debatably its greatest point. The capital Constantinople is located on the Bosporus strait towards the middle of the map.
Hagia Sophia
Symbolic to Byzantine Empire and there Eastern Orthodoxy religion. Located in Constantinople and was built during the time of Justinian (ruler).
Economy
The economy of the Byzantine Empire is what set them apart from the western part of Rome. First, they had trade routes with big trading countries in Europe and Asia. Part of the success with there trade routes was because of the harbors in Constantinople and that it was located on a strait that was used for easy access to the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Also, the culture of the cities allowed for marketplaces to thrive. The people had a lot of pride in Constantinople which caused a lot less problems. The goods that were imported from other from China like silk were valuable in the marketplace and people that could afford it bought a lot of it and it was considered luxurious.
Political
The political structure of the empire allowed it to thrive. First, the ruler had absolute power over his people. Usually the citizens of a country don't like that but in Byzantine the people were okay with it. Next, Byzantine was known by some to there code of laws. They based it off of the Roman set of laws then the ruler at the time, Justinian, revised them and called it, Corpus Juris Civilis, which means "Body of Civil Law". This set reached past Byzantine and to other nations to come. Finally, the military and defenses thrived while Romes military fell. The capital, Constantinople, was guarded by three bodies of water and there were elaborate land and sea walls.
Religion
Religion was very important to the Byzantine Empire. First, Byzantine was Christian and they went by the Eastern Orthodox religion. Rome was a bit different in which Byzantine appointed a patriarch and the pope had nearly no significance to there religion. Next, one of the greatest monuments built in Byzantine was the Hagia Sophia. It was a church built by Justinian in Constantinople. It was very symbolic to there empire and was considered better than King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. Finally, the rulers had power over the church. Disputes in the church went through the ruler. The ruler is also considered god-like to the people and he is a human but is considered equal to christ.