How Did Justinian Influence The Medieval Era

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The Middle Ages was a period of stagnation wedged between the time of the Roman Empire and the Modern Age. Many people may write this entire period off as historically unproductive and therefore pointless to study. However, comprehending this period is essential to understanding modern Europe, and one man who certainly merits study for his work during this time is the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. This paper will examine Justinian’s positive and negative influence in the medieval era through religion, building projects, the Gothic War, and the Justinian Code. First, Justinian greatly influenced the medieval era through religion, specifically through doctrine concerning Christ’s deity. The Eastern Roman Empire had struggled for some time …show more content…

He improved defenses around the empire and constructed a large granary depot, market places, fountains, streets, theaters, and even a cistern for Constantinople. However, his most famous architectural work is the church of Hagia Sophia. For this project, he recruited the best architects of the age: Anthems of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus. About this structure, author Joseph Dahmus states, “In height it rises to the very heavens and overtops the neighboring buildings . . . Its length and breadth are so judiciously arranged that it appears to be both long and wide without being disproportioned.” The Hagia Sophia is most famous for its dome which was truly remarkable for its time. At 180 feet tall, this dome required the best architectural engineering of the era to support its enormous weight. Through these impressive building projects, especially the Hagia Sophia, Justinian was able to demonstrate the capabilities of early Byzantine architecture and improve many physical qualities of his …show more content…

Early Byzantine victories made it appear as if the war would end quickly, but the Byzantines had to fight nearly thirty years for victory. More barbarian raids on Byzantine land and the Persians breaking the “Endless Peace” treaty in 539 meant that troops were needed at three separate battle fronts. Therefore, Justinian was not able to allocate too many troops to any one territory without compromising the security of another. This dilemma worsened with the spread of the Great Plague which lasted from 541 to 543 and diminished his supply of

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