The greatness of the Roman Empire after the crisis of the III century was greatly shaken. Then the preconditions for the split of the empire into Western and Eastern appeared. The last emperor who headed the entire territory of the country was Flavius Theodosius Augustus (379-395). He died at a respectable age of natural causes, leaving behind two heirs to the throne - the sons of Arcadius and Honorius. On the instructions of his father, the elder brother Arkady led the western part of the Roman Empire - the "first Rome", and the younger, Honorius - the eastern, "second Rome", which was later renamed the Byzantine Empire.
The process of formation of the Byzantine Empire
The official division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern took place in 395, unofficially - the state split long before that. While the west was dying from internecine strife, civil wars, barbarian raids on the borders, the eastern part of the country continued to develop culture and live in an authoritarian political regime, obeying its emperors of Byzantium - the basileus. Ordinary people, peasants, senators called the emperor of Byzantium"basileus", this term quickly took root and began to be constantly used in the everyday life of the people.
Christianity played an important role in the cultural development of the state and strengthening the power of emperors.
After the fall of the First Rome in 476, only the eastern part of the state remained, which became the Byzantine Empire. The great city of Constantinople was founded as the capital.
Duties of Basileus
The emperors of Byzantium had to perform the following duties:
- to command an army;
- make laws;
- select and appoint personnel to public office;
- manage the administrative apparatus of the empire;
- administer justice;
- pursue a wise and beneficial domestic and foreign policy for the state to maintain the status of a leader on the world stage.
Elections for the post of Emperor
The process of becoming a new person to the post of basileus took place consciously with the participation of a large number of people. For elections, meetings were convened in which senators, military personnel and the people participated and voted. According to the vote count, the one with the most supporters was elected as the ruler.
Even a peasant had the right to run, this expressed the beginnings of democracy. The emperors of Byzantium, who came from peasants, also exist: Justinian, Basil I, Roman I. One of the most prominent first emperors of the Byzantine state are Justinian andKonstantin. They were Christians, spread their faith and used religion to impose their power, control the people, reform domestic and foreign policy.
Reign of Constantine I
One of the commanders-in-chief, elected to the post of emperor of Byzantium, Constantine I, thanks to wise rule, brought the state to one of the world's leading positions. Constantine I ruled from 306-337, at a time when the final split of the Roman Empire had not yet occurred.
Konstantin is famous primarily for establishing Christianity as the only state religion. Also during his reign, the first Ecumenical Cathedral in the empire was built.
In honor of the believing Christian sovereign of the Byzantine Empire, the capital of the state, Constantinople, was named.
Reign of Justinian I
The great emperor of Byzantium Justinian ruled from 482-565. A mosaic with his image adorns the church of San Vitalle in the city of Ravenna, perpetuating the memory of the ruler.
In the surviving documents dating back to the 6th century, according to the Byzantine writer Procopius of Caesarea, who served as secretary to the great commander Belisarius, Justinian is known as a wise and generous ruler. He carried out judicial reforms for the development of the country, encouraged the spread of the Christian religion throughout the state, drafted a code of civil laws, and, in general, took good care of his people.
But the emperor was also a cruel enemyfor people who dared to go against his will: rebels, rebels, heretics. He controlled the planting of Christianity in the lands occupied during his reign. So, with his wise policy, the Roman Empire returned the territory of Italy, North Africa, and partly to Spain. Like Constantine I, Justinian used religion to strengthen his own power. The preaching of any other religion, except Christianity, in the occupied lands was severely punished by law.
In addition, on the territory of the Roman Empire, on his initiative, it was instructed to build churches, temples, monasteries that preached and brought Christianity to the people. The economic and political power of the state has grown significantly thanks to the many profitable connections and deals made by the emperor.
Such Byzantine emperors as Constantine I and Justinian I have established themselves as wise, generous rulers, who also successfully spread Christianity throughout the empire to strengthen their own power and unite the people.
