HTS 6XXX Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Notes.docx
25 Jan 2013
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Document Summary
Interaction between humans and the environment-demography and disease migration, patterns of settlement technology. Byzantine emperors established christianity as official religion and continued roman imperial rule. Having a single ruler with religious authority prevented break up of eastern empire. Between 634 and 650 arab armies destroyed sasanid empire and captured byzantine. The loss of such populous and prosperous provinces shook empire and it never regained lost lands. Byzantines succumbed to muslim conquests in 1453. At the same time relations with pope and princes of western europe worsened. Imperial authority and prosperity in eastern provinces sheltered byzantium from economic collapse and population losses. As urban elite class shrank importance of the high-ranking aristocrats and rural landowners increased. Women began to be more confined to the house and had to conceal faces. Byzantine emperors continued the late roman inclination to set prices, organize grain, and monopolize trade. Other byzantine cities suffered from intense focus on constantinople.
