The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the eastern continuation of Rome, centred on Constantinople, that lasted for another thousand years.
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The Byzantine Empire was the eastern continuation of Rome, centred on Constantinople, that lasted for another thousand years.
- Justinian rebuilt Hagia Sophia
- Greek became the main language
- It fell to the Ottomans in 1453
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is The Byzantine Empire?
Within History, which covers ancient civilisations, empires, revolutions, world wars and the making of the modern world, this topic explains The Byzantine Empire. History topics connect events, people and ideas across time, so each one here gives a clear summary and a way to test your understanding.
Check that you can explain The Byzantine Empire in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding The Byzantine Empire helps you explain change over time and judge why events happened, which is the core skill in history essays.
The Byzantine Empire in detail
The Byzantine Empire was the eastern half of the Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople (now Istanbul), founded by Constantine in AD 330. It survived until 1453, when the Ottomans captured the city. The people spoke Greek and were mostly Orthodox Christian.
Constantinople was a wealthy trade hub, protected by strong walls. Emperor Justinian (527–565) reconquered some western territory, issued a law code and built the Hagia Sophia. The empire preserved Greek and Roman knowledge, art and law, and served as a barrier between Europe and invaders from the east. Its decline was hastened by the Crusades and the Turks.
How the interactive helps you understand The Byzantine Empire
Watch the timeline in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the timeline responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of The Byzantine Empire.
Real-life uses and examples
- Judge how important The Byzantine Empire was by weighing evidence from more than one source.
- Explain the causes and consequences of The Byzantine Empire in a well-structured paragraph.
- Compare The Byzantine Empire with another event to spot patterns of change and continuity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating one source as the whole story when you study The Byzantine Empire.
- Describing events without explaining why they happened.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about The Byzantine Empire
What is The Byzantine Empire?
The Byzantine Empire was the eastern continuation of Rome, centred on Constantinople, that lasted for another thousand years.
What are the most important points about The Byzantine Empire?
The main points are: Justinian rebuilt Hagia Sophia; Greek became the main language; It fell to the Ottomans in 1453.
Why is The Byzantine Empire useful?
Understanding The Byzantine Empire helps you explain change over time and judge why events happened, which is the core skill in history essays.
How can I practise The Byzantine Empire?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to The Byzantine Empire?
Related topics in History include Early Medieval Europe, The Feudal System, Magna Carta.