Byzantine Tour Guide
Daily Life and Protection in Constantinople
A thriving city full of riches, Constantinople is called the eye of the world. It is home to many people, rich and poor, from all classes and professions, with over 4000 houses and neighborhoods. To keep our city safe, Constantinople, is located on a peninsula, which means three sides of the city is surrounded by water. On the forth side, massive 40-70 feet walls are built with three parellel walls, 40 feet thick. Just in case of an attack, watch towers are built through the middle wall with fire signals and flag towers to give warnings. Also, you don't have to worry if you're poor and can't feed your family. It's government and church officials duty to make sure everyone is cared for and healthy. Throughout the city, they provided public baths, hospitals, orphanages, homes, pay for public health doctors, and even give free bread to all citizens. How cool is that?
Emperor Justinian, Theodora, and the Justinian Code of Law
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Our empire is also ruled by a great and powerful leader, Emperor Justinian, along with his caring wife, Empress Theodora. Justinian has done many great things that helped beautify the empire, such as building bridges, libraries, hospitals, roads, parks and more. He added civic buildings, along with 25 new cathedrals, including the Hagia Sophia. With the help of Theodora, Justinian also wrote a newer, and more fair version of the 12 Tables, called the Justinian Code of Law. He wrote that everyone gets the same, equal treatment, weather you're a commoner or a king. But most importantly, he wrote that women will get much greater freedom these days. Emperor Justinian is undoubtedly the greatest emperor of Constantinople.
Recreation and Entertainment
Constantinople holds many public entertainments and recreational activities. Events such as the chariot and horse races that take place in the Hippodrome are very popular. In all, Constantinople holds 161 baths, which 8 of them are used for the public. People chat and socialize out in the streets and marketplace while friends met each other for walks in parks surrounding the city. Row boating and sail boating are also enjoyable. In theaters, people gather in circuses to watch jugglers, dances, and actors preform acts based on myths. One of the most popular event is the circus held in the Hippodrome.
Christianity and the Hagia Sophia
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Christianity is declared the official religion of the Byzantine Empire. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and if you live a moral life, you will have life after death in heaven. But if you aren't Christian, you would be called pagans, which means non Christian. One of our most magnificent cathedrals in New Rome is the Hagia Sophia. This grand and majestic building is a mix of Roman and Eastern architecture. While the outside is plain and represents the daily world, the inside is decorated beautifully with mosaics and marble, represents the spiritual world. The Hagia Sophia is a great architectural beauty and very precious to the Byzantine Empire.
The Fall of the Byzantine Empire
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The Fall of the Byzantine Empire is somewhat similar to the fall of the Roman Empire. After Justinian's death, problems quickly arose. In order to save the empire, his successors were forced to heavily tax the Byzantine citizens. Because the empire was so immense, the military was having a hard time defending all the territory. Soon, there were also political and economic problems. Finally, the last thing that led to the Fall of the Byzantine Empire were the Ottomans, also called the Crusaders of Western Europe. They steadily encroached on Byzantine lands and the Byzantine state crumbled piece by piece until Constantinople fell to the Turks.