Myths and History

 For over a thousand years, the Byzantine Empire stood as one of the most enduring political entities in history. Known in its time simply as the Roman Empire, it preserved the legacy of Rome in the eastern Mediterranean while developing a distinctive culture shaped by Greek language, Orthodox Christianity, and a complex imperial bureaucracy. From its foundation in the fourth century to its dramatic fall in 1453, Byzantium was a beacon of political resilience, artistic brilliance, and religious influence—yet also a state beset by constant challenges from without and within. Origins: Rome’s Eastern Transformation The story of the Byzantine Empire begins in AD 330 , when Emperor Constantine I refounded the ancient city of Byzantium on the Bosporus as Constantinople —the "New Rome." Strategically positioned between Europe and Asia and surrounded by water on three sides, the city quickly became the political, economic, and cultural heart of the Eastern Roman Empire. Following the...