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May 6, 2024 · The Byzantine Empire existed from approximately 395 CE—when the Roman Empire was split—to 1453. It became one of the leading civilizations in the world before falling to an Ottoman Turkish onslaught in the 15th century.
- Istanbul
Istanbul, largest city and principal seaport of Turkey....
- Byzantine Empire Summary
Byzantine Empire, Empire, southeastern and southern Europe...
- Constantine I
Constantine reigned during the 4th century CE and is known...
- From 867 to The Ottoman Conquest
Byzantine Empire - 867-1453, Constantinople, Eastern Roman...
- The 6th Century
Byzantine Empire - East Rome, Christianity, Constantinople:...
- The Age of Iconoclasm
Byzantine Empire - Iconoclasm, Religion, Empire: For more...
- Diocletian, Constantine, Reforms
Byzantine Empire - Diocletian, Constantine, Reforms: The...
- The Successors of Justinian: 565–610
Byzantine Empire - The successors of Justinian: 565–610:...
- The Last Years of Justinian I
Byzantine Empire - Justinian I, Constantinople, Legacy:...
- Pillars of Heracles
Pillars of Heracles, two promontories at the eastern end of...
- Istanbul
- It Wasn’T called The Byzantine Empire Until After It Fell.
- Constantinople Was Purpose-Built to Serve as An Imperial Capital.
- Its Most Influential Emperor Came from Humble Origins.
- A Riot by Chariot-Racing Hooligans Nearly Brought The Empire to Its knees.
- Byzantine Rulers Were Known to Blind and Mutilate Their Rivals.
- Its Military Used An Early Version of Napalm.
- The Empire Gave Rise to The Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Its Capital Was Sacked During The Crusades.
- The Invention of The Cannon Helped Bring About The Empire’s Fall.
- The Byzantines Preserved Many of The Writings of Ancient Greece.
The term “Byzantine Empire” came into common use during the 18th and 19th centuries, but it would’ve been completely alien to the Empire’s ancient inhabitants. For them, Byzantium was a continuation of the Roman Empire, which had merely moved its seat of power from Rome to a new eastern capital in Constantinople. Though largely Greek-speaking and C...
The early origins of the Byzantine Empire date to 324, when Emperor Constantine abandoned the decaying city of Rome and moved his court to Byzantium, an ancient port town strategically located on the Bosporus strait separating Europe and Asia. In the span of just six years, Constantine converted the sleepy Greek colony into a metropolis complete wi...
Byzantium’s rise corresponded with the unlikely reign of Justinian I. Born around 482 in the Balkans, he spent his youth as a peasant’s son before being taken under the wing of his uncle Justin I, a former swineherd and soldier who later became the Byzantine Emperor. Justinian succeeded Justin in 527, and while he always spoke Greek with a bad acce...
Just as modern sports franchises have diehard fans, Byzantine chariot racing had the Blues and the Greens, a pair of fanatical—and often violent—supporters’ groups named for the colors worn by their favorite teams. These ancient hooligans were sworn enemies, but in 532, discontent over taxation and the attempted execution of two of their leaders sa...
Byzantine politicians often avoided killing their rivals in favor of carrying out ghastly acts of physical mutilation. Many would-be usurpers and deposed emperors were blinded or castrated to prevent them from leading troops or fathering children, while others had their tongues, noses or lips cut off. Maiming was supposed to prevent victims from ch...
Byzantium owed much of its military success to Greek Fire, a mysterious incendiary liquid that was used to set enemy troops and ships ablaze. The precise recipe for this ancient napalm has been lost to history—it might have contained everything from petroleum and pine resin to sulfur and saltpeter—but accounts describe it as a thick, sticky substan...
Byzantium was almost always a Christian empire, but over the centuries its Greek-speaking church developed distinct liturgical differences from the Catholic, Latin-speaking church in the West. The theological tensions finally boiled over in 1054, when a falling out between the patriarch of Constantinople and a papal delegate led the Eastern and Wes...
One of the darkest chapters in Byzantine history began in the early 13th century when Christian warriors assembled in Venice for the Fourth Crusade. The Crusaders were supposed to sail for the Middle East to seize Jerusalem from the Muslim Turks, but due to cash shortages and friction with the Orthodox Byzantines, they were persuaded to make a deto...
Constantinople’s towering city walls kept invading Goths, Persians, Russians and Arabs at bay for centuries, but they proved to be no match for changing military technology. In the spring of 1453, having already conquered most of the Byzantine frontier, Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II laid siege to the capital with a collection of cannons spec...
The writings of Greek thinkers such as Plato, Ptolemy and Galen might have been lost to history if not for the Byzantine Empire. Though often hostile toward so-called “pagan” ideas, Byzantine scribes judiciously copied the decaying manuscripts of the ancients, and Constantinople’s libraries safeguarded Greek and Roman texts that were slowly vanishi...
- Every Family's Got One. When Emperor Justin II lost his mind, he began a brutal and psychotic rampage where he would bite his servants and even eat them, according to some reports.
- Byzantine Cultural Heritage. Religion wasn’t the only influence the Byzantines had on the Russian Empire. As the Rus’ developed, they transformed their cities in the style of the Byzantines.
- Religious Migration. When Vladimir the Great established his rule over Kievan Rus’, he converted to Christianity and Christianized the Rus in an attempt to consolidate power through a state religion.
- Fourth Crusade. As the Byzantines became further estranged from the Christians of the west, and the Crusaders shocked the east with their brutality, political reconciliation became almost inconceivable.
- Byzantine Empire lasted from 330 AD to 1453 AD. The Byzantine Empire lasted for over a thousand years, from 330 AD to 1453 AD. It was a continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire and emerged after the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.
- Capital was Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) The Byzantine Empire had its capital in Constantinople, which was strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.
- Greek language and culture heavily influenced the empire. Greek language and culture played a significant role in the Byzantine Empire. While Latin was still used in administrative matters during the early period, Greek gradually became the predominant language of the empire.
- Strong centralized government with absolute power held by the emperor. The Byzantine Empire was characterized by a strong centralized government. The emperor held supreme power and was considered both the political and religious leader of the empire.
- Origins. Constantine I took control of the Roman Empire after winning the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in October of A.D. 312. The events before the battle are steeped in legend, but Constantine is said to have had some sort of religious experience that resulted in his warming to Christianity.
- Justinian I. Justinian I became emperor in 527. While it is said that the golden age of Byzantium occurred during his reign Justinian's rule certainly did not start off as golden.
- The Byzantine Dark Age. The centuries after Justinian’s death are sometimes referred to as the Byzantine “Dark Age” and for good reason, as a series of misfortunes befell the empire.
- Byzantine comeback? Byzantium never returned to the “golden age” it had reached during Justinian’s rule. Nevertheless, the military situation stabilized in the ninth century and by the 11th century, Byzantium had gained back a considerable amount of territory that it had lost.
Apr 20, 2013 · 10 Interesting Facts About The Byzantine Empire. by Theodoros II. fact checked by Matt Hayes. The Byzantine Empire existed for nearly 1,125 years, and it’s one of the greatest empires of all time. Yet many people know little about it, other than the word “byzantine” being synonymous for highly intricate, complex, and devious dealings.
With its capital in Byzantium, later known as Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the Byzantine Empire played a pivotal role in the history of Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean. In this article, we will explore ten key facts about this fascinating empire. 1. Formation of the Byzantine Empire.
