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Unit 3: Justinian the Great The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 3: Justinian the Great Teacher Overview JUSTINIAN the Great sought to reunite the old Roman Empire, but he did not succeed. He did succeed, though, in reforming education and law. He is best known for his development of the Justinian Code, which has been used as the basis for the legal systems of many countries ever since. Key People, Places, and Events Justinus I Justinian the Great Belisarius Narses Leading Ideas An individual’s character will be reflected in his leadership. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. — Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) There is power in the spoken word to do evil or to do good. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. — Matthew 12:34 The rise and fall of nations and leaders is determined by God. Detail of a contemporary portrait mosaic in the The king’s heart is a stream of Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, of Emperor Justinian (By Petar Milošević - Basilica of Saint Vitalis, CC BY-SA 4.0, water in the hand of the LORD; he https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40035957) turns it wherever he will. — Proverbs 21:1 Reading and Assignments In this unit, students will: Complete one lesson in which they will learn about Justinian the Great, journaling as they read. Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 42 L e s s o n O n e History Overview and Assignments The Rise and Reign of Justinian the Great IN THIS lesson, we will study Justinian the Great, who sought to regain the western lands, which had been lost to invading barbarian tribes, and to restore the greatness and grandeur of the old Roman Empire Reading and Assignments Review the discussion questions and vocabulary, then read the article: The Rise and Fall of Justinian’s Empire. Narrate about today’s reading using the appropriate notebook page. Be sure to answer the discussion questions and include key people, events, and dates within the narration. Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources. Discussion Questions 1. How did Justinian the Great rise to power? 2. What were the accomplishments of his reign? 3. How do you think Justinian’s The Barberini Ivory, which is thought to portray either Justinian or character is revealed in his Anastasius I reign and accomplishments? Key People, Places, and Events Justinus I Justinian the Great Belisarius Narses Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 43 Adapted for Middle School from the book: The Story of Europe by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall The Rise and Fall of Justinian’s Empire The year after Theodoric died, one of the the jealousy of his rivals caused Belisarius to greatest rulers of the Eastern Empire, be recalled. named Justinian, came to power. Two years later the general returned to Justinian had been born a poor Italy. But he was, he says himself, “destitute shepherd boy but rose to power after his of all the necessary implements of war — uncle, a commander in the Emperor’s men, horses, arms, and money.” And the guard, was made emperor upon his death Emperor, still listening to the envious and then chose Justinian to succeed him. whisperers, was deaf to his appeals. So the Justinian was not content with merely war lingered on, until at length Belisarius ruling over the Eastern Empire, but, like the was again recalled, and his place taken by caesars before him, he had dreams of a Narses, another of Justinian’s great world dominion, and he longed to gather generals. under his scepter all the lands which had at one time been under Roman rule. He had great generals at his command to help him to realize his dream, among them Belisarius, at this time a brave and splendid youth. Belisarius and Narses About this time the Vandals were quarrelling among themselves, and it seemed to Justinian a good opportunity to Belisarius Receiving Hospitality From a Peasant, by Jean-François-Pierre Peyron win Africa again for the empire. So with a great army Belisarius set out. In a campaign Narses was no young and splendid hero of three months he conquered the Vandals. like Belisarius, but an elderly man. He was, Then, laden with rich spoils and carrying however, the most brilliant strategist of the the captive Vandal king, Gelimer, with him, day, and he received the support denied to he returned again to Constantinople in Belisarius. His so-called Roman army was triumph. indeed merely a conglomeration of Greeks Italy, too, was at this time in a state of and wild barbarians, but with it he swept unrest. Here again Justinian saw his victoriously through Italy. opportunity, and again Belisarius set forth It was not far from the ancient city of to subdue a rebel province of the empire. Pompeii that the Goths made their last But to conquer the Goths was by no means stand. Their king, Teias, stood in the an easy matter. The war raged for years, and forefront of the battle. In his right hand he before he could bring it to a victorious close held a mighty spear, and with unerring aim Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 44 he dealt death this way and that. Although The Goths chose to depart. And with arrows and javelins fell thick and fast about their women, children, and household him, he heeded them not. Yet so many goods they slowly crossed the Alps. No one found their mark, and remained fast knows where they went. From that time the embedded in his shield that, at length, even Ostrogoths vanished from history. his mighty arm could not bear the weight. But the campaign in Italy was not yet So calling to his squire he bade him over. For the Franks and Allemanni had bring another shield. The squire obeyed. poured like a torrent over the Alps into the But for one moment, in changing one shield plain of Italy, vowing to restore the Gothic for another, the Gothic king’s side was kingdom. But these, too, Narses defeated, unprotected, and he was slain. Justinian’s and only a scattered remnant reached men rushed in and made great exultation home. Then at length the harassed, over his death. exhausted land had rest, and for the next Thus died the last king of the Goths. Yet twelve years Narses ruled over it as although leaderless now, his men still governor for the Emperor. fought on, and only night and darkness put an end to the strife. Day dawned and it was renewed, but the struggle now was hopeless, and at length the Goths sued (pleaded) for peace. This Narses readily granted, giving the conquered people the choice between remaining in Italy as the subjects of Justinian or of departing thence. The 3rd century Great Ludovisi sarcophagus depicts a battle between Goths and Romans. Justinian also attacked the Visigoths in Spain, and brought all the south and east of that country under Roman rule once more. So much of the old Roman Empire, indeed, did he reconquer that it seemed as if his dream might come true. But in 565 he died, and almost at once fresh hordes of barbarians overran his newly acquired provinces. The Lombards invaded Italy, the Visigoths rose and expelled the Romans from Spain, Slavs and Avars, wild peoples akin to the Huns, streamed over the Balkans, while Persians, in a war which lasted twenty years, devastated the eastern boundaries of the empire. Arabs made Mosaic of Narses, the Byzantine general themselves masters of Egypt and Roman Medieval to Renaissance: Middle School Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 45 Africa, until at length the Eastern Empire Constantinople that they turned to find included little more than the countries now them. forming Greece, the Balkan States, and Asia Justinian did much to improve the Minor. quality of life for his people, constructing It is not, therefore, for his conquests that great public buildings such as the famous we remember Justinian. For his conquests Hagia Sophia church, and restoring much of soon vanished away, and all through the Constantinople’s former grandeur. ages he has been remembered not as a conqueror but as a lawgiver. His greatest work was the codification of the whole body of Roman law into what became called the Justinian Code. Upon the laws of Justinian the legal systems of nearly every civilized country are founded to this day. That is his title to greatness. It must be remembered, too, that although after the time of Justinian the dimensions of the empire became small indeed, in comparison to those of the Roman Empire in the days of its strength, it was no mean role that this shrunken empire played in the development of Europe; for it formed a Christian bulwark against the attacks of the heathen hordes of Asia. While the new Teutonic kingdoms were being Painting of the interior and dome of the Hagia Sophia, by John Singer Sargent formed it was the Romans and not the Teutons who defended Europe from the But however useful a part the empire danger coming from the East. played in the development of Europe the old And besides being a barrier, the Eastern imperial splendor was gone. New Rome was Empire was a storehouse of art and not ruler of the world, but rather its literature. For the new Teutonic nations handmaid. And as the old imperial idea which overran the Western Empire were changed, the character of the Empire only half civilized, or not civilized at all.
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