Notes

Justinian I's armies created a huge empire. For this empire to function, it needed some sort of consistent legal system. The many different legal systems used throughout the empire needed to be replaced by a single code. This would allow every Roman citizen to learn the law of the empire on any subject. Justinian I appointed a law professor to organize and clarify centuries of Roman law. Eventually, the enormous collection known as the Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law) was issued.

Justinian I's work is important for several reasons. Just as the ancient world was fading away, it captured and arranged an enormous amount of Roman law that otherwise might have been lost forever. It also acted as a springboard for the future. Justinian I's Body of Civil Law, also known as the Code of Justinian, provided the foundation for most modern European legal systems (England being the important exception). All citizens, including commoners, were made aware of the Code of Justinian and could read it to better understand the laws that applied to them

Origins of the Byzantine Empire

Emperor Diocletian, who reigned from 284 to 305, tried with some success to reform the Roman Empire. His reforms, which Constantine I continued, gave added life to the whole empire for almost another 200 years. Diocletian is primarily remembered for two things — establishing the tetrarchy and persecuting the Christians.

The tetrarchy, or the rule of four, meant there were two emperors (augusti) and two junior emperors (caesars). This system failed almost immediately after Diocletian retired as emperor in 305. Constantine I, who was one of the caesars and who reigned from 306 to 337, had moved up to become one of the augusti when his father died. It took him seven years to consolidate his position as emperor.

Both Diocletian and Constantine I wanted to preserve the unity of the whole empire. Diocletian found the Christians offensive and saw them as a deeply dividing element within the empire. To get rid of the Christians, he savagely persecuted them. Churches were closed. Scriptures were seized. Christians were killed in great numbers.

But Constantine I did a dramatic about-face. Before a major battle, he saw a sign from God and placed crosses on his soldiers' uniforms. His army won the battle, and Constantine I secured himself as emperor. In gratitude for the victory, he made Christianity a legal religion and showed it special favor during his reign. He did not become a Christian himself until he lay dying.