History glossary
Byzantine Empire
the eastern Roman Empire centered on Constantinople, lasting for centuries after the western Roman Empire fell.
- Category
- Empire
- Region
- Eastern Mediterranean
- Date range
- 330-1453 CE
What it means
The Byzantine Empire is the modern name for the eastern Roman Empire, ruled from Constantinople. Its people usually thought of themselves as Romans, but their empire developed a Greek-speaking Christian culture and controlled changing territories around the eastern Mediterranean. In Crusades history, Byzantine appeals for help against Seljuk Turkish advances helped set the First Crusade in motion, even though Byzantine goals and crusader ambitions soon diverged.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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From raiders to traders, Vikings built kingdoms and networks that reshaped Europe and beyond.
