Byzantine Empire Tour Guide
Daily Life and Protection in Constantinople
In New Rome (The Byzantine Empire), they have lots of protection. Constantinople is a peninsula, a body of land surrounded by water on three sides, and has a thick chain spanned across the harbor. On the fourth side of Constantinople, there are three walls that are 70 inches tall and 40 inches thick. These barriers make it hard for invaders to invade through the empire. The empire does its best to keep the empire safe. There are watchtowers that looked out for invaders, and the empire had a very strong military. You can relax and enjoy the time in Constantinople!!! |
The Best Emperor, Justinian and His Wife, Theodora
Justinian is the current emperor that was chosen by god to be the emperor. He is the 16th ruler, and was influenced by his wife, Theodora. Theodora is extremely clever and Justinian’s intellectual equal. More than that, she is very beautiful. The Byzantine Empire has a Justinian code of law currently and this is because Justinian believes that the 400 years old 12 tables is too complex and some were irrelevant. He gathered professionals to add new laws and throw away laws that were no longer needed. Under Justinian’s new laws, everyone is treated equal in any kind of social classes. |
Recreation and Entertainment
In Constantinople, there are many entertainments that can keep you occupied for the whole time you are in the Byzantine Empire. In the center of the city of Constantinople, there is a place called a Circus Maximus. This is where the chariot races are taken place. There are libraries, parks, gardens and more where you can visit. One of the places that you we recommend is the Hagia Sophia. It is a grand, and beautiful building. The dome is a mix of Roman and Eastern architecture. There are also, 153 private baths, 2 theaters, beaches, and gardens. |
Religion and The Hagia Sophia
The official language in the Byzantine Empire is Greek, and the official language is Christianity. The first emperor, Constantine, had adopted Christianity. Although foreigners are not always welcome, if you speak Greek and believe in Christianity, the people in the empire will treat you like you are one of those people. As we explained earlier, the Hagia Sophia is the most magnificent church that emperor Justinian had rebuilt in 532 A.D.. The word "Hagia Sophia" means holy wisdom. This building is 12 stories tall and 107 feet wide, that is decorated with mosaics and marble on the inside. The outside of this church is plain looking to represent the daily world and the marvelous inside represents the spiritual world. |
Any kind of empire will fall in the end. This is the same with the Byzantine Empire. The crusaders of Western Europe invaded Constantinople which was the key turning point of the empire and Christianity in the East. In 1453 A.D., Constantinople fell to the Ottomans. This marked the end of the Byzantine empire.