Byzantine Empire

Quick Facts: Who was Byzantine Empire?

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Byzantine Empire

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The continuation of the Roman Empire centered on Constantinople from 330 AD to 1453.

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Origins & Early Life

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. The term 'Byzantine Empire' was coined only after its demise; its citizens used the term 'Roman Empire' and called themselves 'Romans'. During the early centuries of the Roman Empire, the western provinces were Latinised, but the eastern parts kept their Hellenistic culture. 324–337) legalised Christianity and founded the new Eastern capital of Constantinople.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

379–395) made Christianity the state religion and Greek gradually replaced Latin for official use. The empire adopted a defensive strategy and, throughout its remaining history, experienced recurring cycles of decline and recovery. The Byzantine Empire reached its greatest extent under the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–565), who briefly reconquered much of Italy and the western Mediterranean coast. A plague began around 541, and a prolonged warfare with Persia placed fiscal and military strain on the empire, contributing to political and strategic challenges in the decades that followed.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In the 630s and 640s the Arab conquests defeated Byzantine field armies in Syria and Egypt, resulting in the permanent loss of those provinces to the Rashidun Caliphate. In 698, Africa was lost to the Umayyad Caliphate, but the empire stabilised under the Isaurian dynasty. It expanded once more under the Macedonian dynasty, experiencing a two-century-long renaissance. Thereafter, periods of civil war and Seljuk incursion resulted in the loss of most of Asia Minor. The empire recovered during the Komnenian restoration, and Constantinople remained the largest and wealthiest city in Europe until the 13th century, when it was overtaken by Paris.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1453: 1453 Milestone — Having survived the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Byzantine Empire

True or False: “The term 'Byzantine' was used by the empire's citizens throughout its history to refer to their state.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Its citizens referred to themselves as 'Romans,' and the empire itself was called Rhomanía.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Afonso de Albuquerque — Historical peer (Born in 1453) (1453): Portuguese general and conquistador who built the Asian Portuguese Empire.
• Andreas Palaiologos — Historical peer (Born in 1453) (1453): Eldest son of Thomas Palaiologos, claimant to the Byzantine imperial throne.
• Byzantine–Ottoman wars — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A protracted series of conflicts leading to the fall of Byzantium and rise of the Ottomans.
• Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The final and most devastating conflict between the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires.
• Byzantine–Seljuk wars — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A series of medieval conflicts shifting power in Asia Minor between Byzantium and the Seljuks.
• Byzantium — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Ancient Greek city, forerunner to Constantinople and modern Istanbul.

Frequently Asked Questions about Byzantine Empire