Byzantine Empire Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. The present structure of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople was commissioned by which emperor?
Heraclius
Basil II
Alexios I Komnenos
Justinian I
2. Which ruler established Constantinople as an imperial capital in 330 CE?
Justinian I
Diocletian
Theodosius I
Constantine I
3. What was the central religious issue in Byzantine iconoclasm?
Whether sacred images should be venerated or removed
Whether clergy could translate scripture into Greek
Whether Constantinople should recognize Islam
Whether monasteries should follow the Latin liturgy
4. An emperor reorganizes threatened provinces into military-administrative districts led by commanders who can mobilize regional forces. Which Byzantine institution best matches this policy?
The pronoia system
The Senate of Constantinople
The circus factions
The theme system
5. At the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, Byzantine forces fought primarily against which power?
The Norman Kingdom of Sicily
The Seljuk Turks
The Bulgarian Empire
The Sasanian Persian Empire
6. As the medieval Byzantine state developed, which language became predominant in imperial administration and public life?
Church Slavonic
Greek
Arabic
Armenian
7. Who led the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453?
Osman I
Bayezid I
Mehmed II
Suleiman I
8. A historian describes growing disputes over papal authority and doctrine, followed by mutual excommunications in 1054. Which development is most closely associated with this account?
The end of Byzantine iconoclasm
The conversion of the Rus
The East-West Schism between the Orthodox and Catholic churches
The creation of the Latin Empire
9. Which Byzantine emperor is commonly known by the epithet “Bulgar-Slayer”?
Romanos IV Diogenes
Constantine XI Palaiologos
Basil II
Michael VIII Palaiologos
10. A Byzantine fleet needs a weapon that can burn enemy ships and remain effective on the water. Which weapon would it most likely deploy?
A battering ram
A counterweight trebuchet
Greek fire
A siphon for extinguishing flames
11. Researchers find increased manuscript production, renewed engagement with classical Greek learning, and flourishing courtly and religious art in Byzantium from the ninth to eleventh centuries. Which development best explains this evidence?
The Macedonian Renaissance
The establishment of the Latin Empire
The disappearance of imperial patronage
The first period of iconoclasm
12. During Justinian I’s reign, conflict involving the Blues and Greens in Constantinople escalated into a major uprising. What was it called?
The Zealot revolt
The Nika revolt
The Sicilian Vespers
The revolt of Thomas the Slav
13. A chronicle reports that western Christian warriors diverted their expedition, captured Constantinople, and established a Latin regime there. Which event is being described?
The First Crusade in 1099
The Battle of Manzikert in 1071
The Ottoman conquest in 1453
The Fourth Crusade in 1204
14. Why did Constantinople’s location provide a major strategic and commercial advantage?
It controlled the Bosporus passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean world
It stood at the mouth of the Nile and controlled access to Egypt
It occupied the only land route across the Alps into Italy
It controlled the Strait of Gibraltar between the Atlantic and Mediterranean
15. Which legal compilation was produced under Justinian I and later influenced European legal traditions?
The Ecloga
The Corpus Juris Civilis
The Edict of Milan
The Theodosian military manuals
16. A neighboring ruler receives an imperial title, luxury gifts, and a proposed marriage alliance from Constantinople. What broader Byzantine strategy does this illustrate?
Using diplomacy and prestige to influence foreign powers
Replacing all provincial armies with mercenaries
Requiring neighboring rulers to adopt Roman civil law
Ending trade with states outside the empire