The greatness of the Roman Empire after the crisis of the III century was greatly shaken. Then the prerequisites for a split of the empire into Western and Eastern appeared. The last emperor who headed the entire territory of the country was Flavius Theodosius Augustus (379-395 of the reign). He died at a venerable age a natural death, leaving behind him two successor thrones - the sons of Arkady and Honorius. As instructed by his father, the elder brother Arkady headed the western part of the Roman Empire - “the first Rome”, and the younger, Honorius - the eastern, “second Rome”, which was later renamed the Byzantine Empire.
The process of formation of the Byzantine Empire
The official division of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern occurred in 395, unofficially - the state split long before that. While the West was dying from civil strife, civil wars, barbarian raids on borders, the eastern part of the country continued to develop culture and live in an authoritarian political regime, subject to its Byzantine emperors - the Vasileus. Ordinary people, peasants, senators called the emperor of Byzantium "Vasileus", this term quickly took root and began to be constantly used in the everyday life of the people.
Christianity in the cultural development of the state and the strengthening of the power of emperors occupied far from the last role.
After the fall of First Rome in 476, only the eastern part of the state remained, which became the Byzantine Empire. The great city of Constantinople was founded as the capital.
Responsibilities of Vasileus
The emperors of Byzantium were to perform such duties:
- command an army;
- make laws;
- to select and appoint personnel to government posts;
- manage the administrative apparatus of the empire;
- dispense justice;
- pursue a wise and advantageous state domestic and foreign policy to maintain the status of a leader in the world arena.
Emperor election
The process of becoming a new person at the post of Vasileus occurred consciously with the participation of a large number of people. Meetings were convened for the elections, in which senators, military personnel and the people participated and voted. According to the vote counts, the one with the largest number of supporters was elected ruler.
Even the peasant had the right to stand for election, in which the rudiments of democracy were expressed. The emperors of Byzantium, immigrants from the peasants, also exist: Justinian, Vasily I, Roman I. One of the most prominent first emperors of the Byzantine state are Justinian and Constantine. They were Christians, spread religion and used religion to enforce their power, control the people, and carry out reforms in domestic and foreign policy.
Board of Constantine I
One of the commanders-in-chief, elected to the post of emperor of Byzantium, Constantine I, thanks to wise rule, brought the state to one of the leading world positions. Constantine I ruled from 306–337, at a time when there was still no final split of the Roman Empire.
Constantine is famous first of all for fixing Christianity as the only state religion. Also during his reign, the first Ecumenical Council in the empire was built.
In honor of the believing Christian sovereign of the Byzantine Empire, the capital of the state was named Constantinople.
Board of Justinian I
The great emperor of Byzantium, Justinian ruled from 482-565. Mosaics with his image adorn the church of San Vitalle in the city of Ravenna, perpetuating the memory of the ruler.
In surviving documents dated the VI century, according to the Byzantine writer Procopius of Caesarea, who served as secretary of the great commander Belisarius, Justinian is known as a wise and generous ruler. He carried out judicial reforms for the development of the country, encouraged the spread of the Christian religion in the state, drafted a code of civil laws, and, in general, took good care of his people.
But even the emperor was a cruel enemy for people who dared to go against his will: rebels, rebels, heretics. He controlled the planting of Christianity in the lands seized during his reign. So, with his wise policies, the Roman Empire returned the territory of Italy, North Africa, partly Spain. Like Constantine I, Justinian used religion to strengthen his own power. The preaching of any religion other than Christianity in the occupied lands was severely punished by law.
In addition, on the initiative of the Roman Empire, it was instructed to build churches, temples, monasteries that preached and brought Christianity to the people. The economic and political power of the state has grown significantly thanks to the many profitable ties and deals concluded by the emperor.
Such Byzantine emperors, like Constantine I and Justinian I, established themselves as wise, generous rulers, who also successfully spread Christianity in the empire to strengthen their own power and rally the people.