Overview
Explore a 49-minute lecture from Yale University's "The Early Middle Ages, 284-1000" course focusing on Emperor Justinian's reign. Examine primary sources like Procopius's writings and delve into Justinian's ambitious projects, including territorial expansions, the construction of Hagia Sophia, and the compilation of Roman law in the Corpus Iuris Civilis. Analyze the political landscape, including civil unrest and the Nika Riots, while gaining insights into the Byzantine Empire at its zenith. Discover how Justinian and Empress Theodora shaped this pivotal period in medieval history through military campaigns, legal reforms, and architectural achievements.
Syllabus
- Chapter 1. Primary Sources: Procopius and Gregory of Tours.
- Chapter 2. The Emperor Justinian.
- Chapter 3. Procopius as a Source on Justinian.
- Chapter 4. Background on Justinian.
- Chapter 5. The Circus, the Blues and the Greens, and the Nika Riots.
- Chapter 6. Justinian's Wars.
- Chapter 7. Justinian's Law Code, the Corpus Iuris Civilis.
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