Middle Ages Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Byzantine survival=== {{main|Byzantine Empire under the Justinian dynasty|Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty}} [[File:Sanvitale03.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|alt=A crowned man holding a bowl, surrounded by clerics, courtiers and guardsmen|A [[mosaic]] showing [[Justinian]] with Archbishop [[Maximianus of Ravenna]], bodyguards, clerics and courtiers ([[Basilica of San Vitale]], [[Ravenna]], Italy)]] The Eastern Roman Empire remained intact and experienced an economic revival that lasted into the early {{nowrap|7th century}}. Here political life was marked by closer relations between the political state and Christian Church, with theological matters assuming an importance in Eastern politics that they did not have in Western Europe.{{sfn|Wickham|2009|pp=81–82}} Legal developments included the codification of [[Roman law]];{{sfn|Wickham|2009|p=83}} the most comprehensive compilation, the {{Lang|la|[[Corpus Juris Civilis]]}}, took place under Emperor [[Justinian I|Justinian]] (r. 527–65).{{sfn|Backman|2022|pp=130–131}} The Byzantines regularly employed [[eunuch]]s for administrative tasks, or as guardians or tutors to women and children, as they regarded castrated men as exceptionally intelligent and loyal servants.{{sfn|Ringrose|2016|pp=374–375}} Justinian nearly perished during the [[Nika riots]], a popular revolt that destroyed half of Constantinople in 532. After crushing the revolt, he reinforced the autocratic elements of the imperial government and mobilised his troops against the Arian western kingdoms. The general [[Belisarius]] (d. 565) conquered North Africa [[Vandalic War|from the Vandals]], and attacked the Ostrogoths, but the campaign was interrupted by an unexpected Sasanian invasion from the east. Between 541 and 543, a deadly [[Plague of Justinian|outbreak of plague]] decimated the empire's population. Justinian developed an extensive system of border forts to cover the lack of military personnel but ceased to finance the maintenance of [[Roman roads|public roads]]. In a decade, he resumed expansionism, completing the conquest of the Ostrogothic kingdom, and seizing much of southern Spain from the Visigoths.{{sfn|Brown|1989|pp=150–156}} Justinian's reconquests and excessive building program have been criticised by historians for bringing his realm to the brink of bankruptcy, but many of the difficulties faced by Justinian's successors were because of other factors, including the massive expansion of the Avars and their Slav allies.{{sfn|Brown|2001|pp=8–10}} In the east, border defences collapsed during a [[Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628|new war]] with the Sasanian Empire, and the Persians seized Egypt, Syria, and much of [[Anatolia]]. In 626, the Avars, Slavs and Persians [[Siege of Constantinople (626)|attacked Constantinople]] but could not conquer it. Two years later, Emperor [[Heraclius]] (r. 610–41) launched an unexpected counterattack against the heart of the Sassanian Empire, recovering all territories previously lost to the Persians.{{sfn|Collins|2010|pp=138–141}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page