Lecture 22: The Court of Justinian and Byzantine Christianity
o It formed the basis for Byzantine law; through its dissemination
in Italy, it became the basis for European legal codes in the 12th
century and, later still, passed into Russia.Patronage of the Arts and Architecture
• Justinian undertook massive building projects—beyond the building
of walls and fortifications throughout the empire—especially
in Constantinople.
o The Church of the Holy Apostles and, above all, Hagia Sophia
were all the more stunning for the speed with which they
were constructed. Hagia Sophia was legitimately considered a
wonder of the world.o The Great Palace, the gates of the city, and the massive cisterns
built to ensure the city’s safety from attack were all splendid
examples of architecture and luxuriously adorned with art.among the massive building projects undertaken by Justinian was the Hagia
Sophia, then and now considered a wonder of the world.© iStockphoto/Thinkstock.