Justinian+and+Theodora

=**JUSTINIAN AND THEODORA**=

__**JUSTINIAN**__
Justinian was the emperor of the Byzantine empire from 527C.E.- 565C.E. He became Caesar in 525. In April of 527, Justinian's uncle Justin made him the co-emperor and was ranked Augustus. Justinian's wife Theodora, received the ranking as Augusta. When Justin died in August 1 of 527, Justinian became the new emperor. Theodora became the empress as well. Justinian had the good sense to select the most able generals and under Narses and Belisarius his reign can be said to have restored the Roman Empire to its ancient limits, and to have reunited East and West. Justinian's died on Nov. 14, 565.

**__THEODORA__**
Theodora was the wife of Justinian. Theodora influenced Justinian's choices and decisions as an emperor. She pushed on the plans for expansion of the Byzantine Empire. When Theodora was 16, she traveled to northern Africa. She stopped at Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. She then adopted Monophysitism from the capital. Monophysitism is a form of Christianity, it believed that Jesus Christ was wholly divine and not both human and divine as was the Orthodox Christian belief. She then traveled back to Constantinople in 522. When she came back she caught the attention of Justinian. As Theodora was growing up she became a mime, then later an 'actress'. An 'actress' is also better known as a 'prostitute'. Justinian fell in love with Theodora, and wanted to marry her. The only problem was, marrying an 'actress' went against an old Roman law. Theodora's death of cancer in 548 was a cruel personal loss to Justinian.

__**JUSTINIAN'S CODE**__
Corupus Iurus Civilis or the Justinian Code, was the result of Emperor Justinian's desire that existing Roman law be collected into a simple and clear system of laws, or "code." Tribonian, a legal minister under Justinian, lead a group of scholars in a 14-month effort to codify existing Roman law. The result was the first Justinian Code, completed in 529. This code was later expanded to include Justinian's own laws, as well as two additional books on areas of the law. In 534, the Justinian Code, made up of the Code, the Digest, and the Institutes, was completed. Theodora's death of cancer in 548 was a cruel personal loss to Justinian.



**__BYZANTINE EMPIRE EXPANSION__**
Justinian is best known for his attempts to restore the Roman Empire by undertaking military campaigns at both frontiers of the empire; his aim was to recover the West from the Goths and the East from the Persians. Throughout his reign, he captured Italy, North Africa, and parts of costal Spain. His attempt for keeping Italy, North Africa, and the small parts of costal Spain, were lost to the Germans. Justinian's forces fled to Ravenna, where it became the new capital.

__HAGIA SOPHIA__
In 537, Justinian's builders built the church of Hagia Sophia. The church set high standards in engineering and architechture. The church helped mend what happened with the riots in Constantinople. They built bridges and 24 other churches in Constantinople. Theodora and Justinian transformed the city of Constantinople, building it into a city for many centuries was known as the most wonderful city in the world.





Justinian's death on Nov. 14, 565,