The Byzantine

(Later or Eastern Roman) Empire

312-1453

The reign of the first Christian emperor, Constantine, is often taken to mark the beginning of a new period in the history of the Roman Empire. Certainly there were significant changes: Christians come to play a more important and more public role in the life of the empire; Christian concerns come to dominate public discourse; the capital was moved from Rome to Constantinople (Byzantium). Yet there were also significant points of continuity: the legal and political structure remained largely the same, the economy and the military were largely the same. Even the form of Christianity in the Empire acquired significant aspects of Greco-Roman culture. The Byzantine Empire would last until the city of Constantinople was finally conquered by Ottoman Turks in 1453.

Formation of a Christian Empire: 300-527

306-337: The Emperor Constantine
325: The Council of Nicea

378: Battle of Adrianople

410: Rome is sacked by the Visigoths
354-430: St. Augustine of Hippo
455: Rome is sacked by the Vandals.
476: Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor in the West is deposed.

The Restoration of the Roman Empire in the East: 527-1056

527-565: Reign of Justinian

532-537: Justinian builds the Church of Hagia Sophia

568: Lombards invade Italy

680: Monophysitism is declared unorthodox.
690s: Muslims conquer Byzantine North Africa
c. 858-867: The Missionary Journeys of Sts. Cyril and Methodius
867-1056: Macedonian dynasty
988: Kievan Russ adopts Orthodoxy

1056-1453: Decline of the Byzantine Empire

1071: Seljuk Turks defeat Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert
1204: Constantinople falls to Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade.
1261: Constantinople is liberated from the Crusaders.
1453: Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Turks

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