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 * Belief Systems **

As regional civilizations developed and spread across the world, so did their religions. Often cultural identity was strongly tied to religious identity. Religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism are associated with some of the major regional civilizations from 750 B.C. to A.D. These religions in turn reflect their cultures and influence relationships among civilizations.

The Roman emperor Constantine rebuilt the city of Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople. Constantinople grew wealthy from the trade industry. In 330, Constantine made Constantinople the new capital of the Roman empire. Over time, the eastern Roman empire became known as the Byzantine empire. The vital center of the empire was Constantinople. The Byzantines left an inﬂuential heritage. Their civilization mixed Christian beliefs with Greek science, philosophy, and arts. Byzantine artists created unique religious icons and mosaics. Byzantine scholars saved Greek literature and created their own great books, especially in history. Christianity was practiced differently in the Byzantine empire than in the West. The Byzantine emperor controlled Church affairs and appointed the patriarch, or highest Church ofﬁcial, in Constantinople. Byzantine Christians rejected the pope’s claim to authority over all Christians. Equally important, Constantinople commanded key trade routes linking Europe and Asia. For centuries, the city’s favorable location made it Europe’s busiest marketplace. There, merchants sold silks from China, wheat from Egypt, gems from India, spices from Southeast Asia, and furs from Viking lands in the north. By trading they were able to establish relationships with other civilizations.

About A.D. 800, the ancient West African kingdom of Ghana became a center of trade. From there, the king controlled the salt and gold trade. The capital of Ghana was Kumbi Saleh, which was made up of two separate walled towns some six miles apart. The king administered justice and other government activities, and kept the peace. Muslim merchants brought their Islamic faith with them to the kingdom of Ghana. The king employed Muslims as counselors and officials, gradually incorporating some of their military technology and ideas about government. Muslims also introduced their written language, coinage, and business methods. Although Islam spread slowly at first, in time, a few city dwellers adopted the religion. Later, Ghana was swallowed up by a new power, the rising kingdom of Mali. Mansa Musa fulfilled one of the Five Pillars of Islam by making the haji, or pilgrimage, to Mecca in 1324. His pilgrimage to Mecca created ties to Muslim states and brought Islamic scholars to Mali to provide religious instruction.

Buddhism had spread from India to China by about A.D. 100. It became increasingly popular during times of crisis that came after the fall of the Han, and by A.D. 400 it had spread throughout China completely. Buddhist themes influenced Chinese sculpture and architecture. The Indian stupa evolved into the Chinese pagoda. The Chinese also perfected the making of porcelain. Buddhism also showed up in the Pagan kingdom. The kingdom of Pagan arose in the fertile rice-growing Irrawaddy Valley in present-day Myanmar. In 1044, King Anawrahta united the region. He is credited with bringing Buddhism to the Burman people. Buddhism had reached nearby cultures long before, but Anawrahta made Pagan a major Buddhist center. He ﬁlled his capital city with magniﬁcent stupas, or dome-shaped shrines, at about the same time that people in medieval Europe were beginning to build Gothic cathedrals.

The religions of Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism made major impacts on these civilizations. They impacted their culture and influenced relationships among civilizations. Not only have these religions made an effect on various civilizations from 750 B.C. to A.D. 1650, but they are all the most popular religions to this day.