The beginnings of the Byzantine Empire lie in the decision of Roman emperor Constantine I to relocate the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium on 11 May 330.
The city was, by virtue of its location, a natural transit point between Europe and Asia Minor (Anatolia). The popular name Constantinople or 'City of Constantine' soon replaced the emperor's own official choice of 'New Rome'.
Though Byzantium was ruled by Roman law and Roman political institutions, and its official language was Latin. In 364, Emperor Valentinian I divided the empire into western and eastern sections, putting himself in power in the west and his brother Valens in the east.
The citizens of Constantinople and the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire identified strongly as Romans and Christians. Byzantium was a Christian state with Greek as the official language, the Byzantines developed their own political systems, religious practices, art and architecture.
As it incorporated Greek and Christian culture, it transformed into a unique Byzantine culture. Additionally, the Byzantine Empire was influenced by Latin, Coptic, Armenian, and Persian cultures.
The golden age of the empire came during the reign of Justinian (A.D. 527-565) during which the empire’s territories extended as far as Western Europe, and the emperor’s builders constructed the Hagia Sophia, a great cathedral that still stands today.
During the years of Justinian I reign, the empire included most of the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Byzantine merchants actively traded with regions in the Mediterranean as well as in the east and west, including areas around the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean.
The Byzantine Empire came to an end when the Ottomans breached Constantinople’s ancient land wall after besieging the city for 55 days.
Byzantine Empire
