Strengths of the Byzantine Empire

In 330 AD.,Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul)became the new capital of the Roman Empire.Historians traditionally consider the destruction of the city of Rome by foreign invaders in 476 AD.to mark the end of the Roman Empire.However,Constantinople continued to be the capital of another large empire,called the Byzantine Empire,for many centuries after the fall of Rome.By the seventh century,the Byzantine Empire faced enormous challenges.Not only did it have to fight off frequent attacks from neighboring peoples,there was great instability internally as well with many emperors coming and going.And yet the empire survived.

What gave it its extraordinary resilience was partly the strength of its deeply rooted administrative system and partly its geographical position.By the mid-seventh century the territory was divided into a number of administrative units or provinces known as “themes,”each with its own military detachment under its own commander.The soldiers were allotted land and thus had a real incentive to protect their home district.The land grants were large enough to support the soldiers’ families as well as tenants and hired laborers.In this way at least some of the financial burden of the army was met by its own labor.The military domination of the themes also led to a shrinking of the civil service (the class of professional government employees),which saved further costs. While the system had many advantages,not least in providing a degree of stability spread across the empire and making it difficult for any one commander to assume control of the whole army,there was understandable reluctance among the sedentary forces to respond to the emperor’s demands if this meant fighting far from home.The problem was to some extent countered by the creation of six army units stationed in and around the capital.Although the soldiers in these units,too,were landholders,they were trained to be a mobile force capable of being deployed quickly either as a field army or in defense of the emperor and the city.

The other great strength of the Byzantine Empire was its unique geographical position sitting at the crossroads linking Asia with Europe and the Mediterranean with the Black Sea.While there can be little doubt that the volume of trade overall diminished and the number of coins in circulation fell,the large and moderately wealthy urban populations still required a basic range of commodities as well as luxuries when they could afford them.One marketing innovation of this period was the provision of provincial warehouses.Their function seems to have been to supply arms and equipment for soldiers to buy using the produce of their farms. The goods brought in from the countryside could then be further sold into the regional market system.

At the elite level two of the most sought-after products were silk and purple dye made from murex,a mollusk found in the eastern Mediterranean.Silken garments,particularly those dyed purple, were the privilege of the elite and were used extensively in the royal court and by religious leaders in the Church throughout the Roman empire,both east and west.As early as the sixth century. the emperor Justinian had made silk production the sole right of the Byzantine Empire.There were huge profits to be made,not least in meeting the demands of the western Roman Church.Silks and the rare purple garment could also be used as diplomatic gifts. In 705 Justinian ll rewarded the Bulgar ruler with gifts of silk cloth and purple leather for helping him to regain the throne.That he also licensed him to trade in controlled Byzantine goods is a fair indication that trade was still essential to the fragile Byzantine state.

That said,there can be no doubt that the empire suffered a dramatic economic contraction during the seventh and eighth centuries,and the population declined significantly,partly as the result of a declining birth rate in times of stress and partly from repeated outbreaks of disease,which had begun in the sixth century and returned many times until the middle of the eighth century.The declining population and economic downturn were responsible for many changes.Once-great towns like Athens shrank to a half or a quarter of their original size,but nonetheless urban life continued.

 

 

1

What gave it its extraordinary resilience was partly the strength of its deeply rooted administrative system and partly its geographical position.By the mid-seventh century the territory was divided into a number of administrative units or provinces known as “themes,”each with its own military detachment under its own commander.The soldiers were allotted land and thus had a real incentive to protect their home district.The land grants were large enough to support the soldiers’ families as well as tenants and hired laborers.In this way at least some of the financial burden of the army was met by its own labor.The military domination of the themes also led to a shrinking of the civil service (the class of professional government employees),which saved further costs. While the system had many advantages,not least in providing a degree of stability spread across the empire and making it difficult for any one commander to assume control of the whole army,there was understandable reluctance among the sedentary forces to respond to the emperor’s demands if this meant fighting far from home.The problem was to some extent countered by the creation of six army units stationed in and around the capital.Although the soldiers in these units,too,were landholders,they were trained to be a mobile force capable of being deployed quickly either as a field army or in defense of the emperor and the city.

The word “incentive”in the passage is closest in meaning to

Apower

Bopportunity

Cmotivation

Dresponsibility

 

2

What gave it its extraordinary resilience was partly the strength of its deeply rooted administrative system and partly its geographical position.By the mid-seventh century the territory was divided into a number of administrative units or provinces known as “themes,”each with its own military detachment under its own commander.The soldiers were allotted land and thus had a real incentive to protect their home district.The land grants were large enough to support the soldiers’ families as well as tenants and hired laborers.In this way at least some of the financial burden of the army was met by its own labor.The military domination of the themes also led to a shrinking of the civil service (the class of professional government employees),which saved further costs. While the system had many advantages,not least in providing a degree of stability spread across the empire and making it difficult for any one commander to assume control of the whole army,there was understandable reluctance among the sedentary forces to respond to the emperor’s demands if this meant fighting far from home.The problem was to some extent countered by the creation of six army units stationed in and around the capital.Although the soldiers in these units,too,were landholders,they were trained to be a mobile force capable of being deployed quickly either as a field army or in defense of the emperor and the city.

According to paragraph 2,theme soldiers received which of the following from the Byzantine government in exchange for their service?

AA civil service position

BLand grants

CFree labor for their farms

DSpecial status within their theme

 

3

What gave it its extraordinary resilience was partly the strength of its deeply rooted administrative system and partly its geographical position.By the mid-seventh century the territory was divided into a number of administrative units or provinces known as “themes,”each with its own military detachment under its own commander.The soldiers were allotted land and thus had a real incentive to protect their home district.The land grants were large enough to support the soldiers’ families as well as tenants and hired laborers.In this way at least some of the financial burden of the army was met by its own labor.The military domination of the themes also led to a shrinking of the civil service (the class of professional government employees),which saved further costs. While the system had many advantages,not least in providing a degree of stability spread across the empire and making it difficult for any one commander to assume control of the whole army,there was understandable reluctance among the sedentary forces to respond to the emperor’s demands if this meant fighting far from home.The problem was to some extent countered by the creation of six army units stationed in and around the capital.Although the soldiers in these units,too,were landholders,they were trained to be a mobile force capable of being deployed quickly either as a field army or in defense of the emperor and the city.

In paragraph 2,which of the following is mentioned as one of the important advantages of the military detachments being associated with each of the themes?

AIt prevented the army from falling under the control of any one single person.

BIt reduced the number of wars that needed to be fought.

CIt made it easier for tenants and hired laborers to join the army when they were needed.

DIt led to the growth of the civil service.

 

4

The other great strength of the Byzantine Empire was its unique geographical position sitting at the crossroads linking Asia with Europe and the Mediterranean with the Black Sea.While there can be little doubt that the volume of trade overall diminished and the number of coins in circulation fell,the large and moderately wealthy urban populations still required a basic range of commodities as well as luxuries when they could afford them.One marketing innovation of this period was the provision of provincial warehouses.Their function seems to have been to supply arms and equipment for soldiers to buy using the produce of their farms. The goods brought in from the countryside could then be further sold into the regional market system.

Which of the following can be inferred from the statement that “the large and moderately wealthy urban populations still required a basic range of commodities as well as luxuries when they could afford them”?

ABecause of its favorable location,the Byzantine Empire could obtain inexpensive luxury goods for its wealthy populations even during the slowing of the economy.

BUrban populations in the Byzantine Empire decreased in part because they lost their easy access to the goods they needed.

CWhile coins became less available in the Byzantine Empire as a whole,they remained plentiful in urban areas.

DTrade continued to play an important role in the Byzantine Empire despite the general economic decline.

 

5

The other great strength of the Byzantine Empire was its unique geographical position sitting at the crossroads linking Asia with Europe and the Mediterranean with the Black Sea.While there can be little doubt that the volume of trade overall diminished and the number of coins in circulation fell,the large and moderately wealthy urban populations still required a basic range of commodities as well as luxuries when they could afford them.One marketing innovation of this period was the provision of provincial warehouses.Their function seems to have been to supply arms and equipment for soldiers to buy using the produce of their farms. The goods brought in from the countryside could then be further sold into the regional market system.

According to paragraph 3,which of the following describes one purpose of the provincial warehouses?

ATo serve as training centers for provincial soldiers.

BTo build up a store of agricultural products for years of low productivity.

CTo inspect agricultural goods for quality before they were sold on the regional marketplace.

DTo provide storage for agricultural products that would be sold in markets in other parts of the empire.

 

6

At the elite level two of the most sought-after products were silk and purple dye made from murex,a mollusk found in the eastern Mediterranean.Silken garments,particularly those dyed purple, were the privilege of the elite and were used extensively in the royal court and by religious leaders in the Church throughout the Roman empire,both east and west.As early as the sixth century. the emperor Justinian had made silk production the sole right of the Byzantine Empire.There were huge profits to be made,not least in meeting the demands of the western Roman Church.Silks and the rare purple garment could also be used as diplomatic gifts. In 705 Justinian ll rewarded the Bulgar ruler with gifts of silk cloth and purple leather for helping him to regain the throne.That he also licensed him to trade in controlled Byzantine goods is a fair indication that trade was still essential to the fragile Byzantine state.

According to paragraph 4,silken garments were used for all of the following purposes EXCEPT

Aas a sign of being part of royalty

Bas rewards for citizens who were loyal to the empire

Cfor clothing worn by the religious leadership

Das gifts to rulers from other empires

 

7

That said,there can be no doubt that the empire suffered a dramatic economic contraction during the seventh and eighth centuries,and the population declined significantly,partly as the result of a declining birth rate in times of stress and partly from repeated outbreaks of disease,which had begun in the sixth century and returned many times until the middle of the eighth century.The declining population and economic downturn were responsible for many changes.Once-great towns like Athens shrank to a half or a quarter of their original size,but nonetheless urban life continued.

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

AThe economic troubles of the seventh and eighth centuries undoubtedly placed extra stress on the population and worsened disease outbreaks.

BThe dramatic economic downturn suffered by the empire in the seventh and eighth centuries actually began in the sixth century with repeated disease outbreaks.

CThere was no longer any doubt that the empire was suffering a dramatic economic downturn from the population decline in the seventh and eighth centuries rather than from repeated disease outbreaks.

DDuring the seventh and eighth centuries,the empire’s economy certainly suffered,and lower birth rates and repeated disease outbreaks led to population declines.

 

8

That said,there can be no doubt that the empire suffered a dramatic economic contraction during the seventh and eighth centuries,and the population declined significantly,partly as the result of a declining birth rate in times of stress and partly from repeated outbreaks of disease,which had begun in the sixth century and returned many times until the middle of the eighth century.The declining population and economic downturn were responsible for many changes.Once-great towns like Athens shrank to a half or a quarter of their original size,but nonetheless urban life continued.

Why does the author make the statement that “Once-great towns like Athens shrank to a half or a quarter of their original size”?

ATo compare the economic problems of the Byzantine Empire with those faced by other empires

BTo illustrate the result of the population declines and economic downturns

CTo provide evidence that economic difficulties caused populations to migrate from urban to rural areas

DTo help explain why outbreaks of disease must have occurred over an extended period of time

 

9

Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage

After all, if their theme were to be attacked, they could lose their personal property.

Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square  sentence to the passage.

10

The Byzantine Empire, with its capital at Constantinople, remained remarkably strong despite many challenges.

AThe creation of administrative units called themes was a cost-saving development that benefited soldiers and helped to stabilize and protect the empire.

BThe Byzantine army developed a reputation across the Mediterranean and Europe for its strength and skill, which discouraged other empires from attacking it.

CThe Byzantine Empire survived despite the economic downturn and population decreases of the seventh and eighth centuries.

DThe central geographic location of the Byzantine Empire facilitated trade with faraway societies , and networks were established within the empire for trading basic and luxury goods.

EPerhaps the most important factor in explaining the remarkable resilience of the Byzantine Empire was its agricultural success, which was due to both its fertile soil and large labor force.

FThe wealth of the Byzantine Empire was unevenly concentrated with elites and church officials while people in the countryside struggled to support themselves.

 

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