Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire (or Byzantium) was the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. It is also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire, primarily in the context of Late Antiquity, while the Western Roman Empire was still maintained. Both "Byzantine Empire" and "Eastern Roman Empire" are historiographical terms applied in later centuries. Throughout its existence it was known simply as the Roman Empire (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων, Basileia Rhōmaiōn; Latin: Imperium Romanum) or Romania (Ῥωμανία) as it was the direct continuation of the Roman state and maintained its traditions. As the Western Roman Empire fragmented and collapsed in the 5th century, Byzantium continued to thrive, existing for more than a thousand years until 1453. During most of its existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe.
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Famous quotes containing the word empire:
“Without the Empire we should be tossed like a cork in the cross current of world politics. It is at once our sword and our shield.”
—William Morris Hughes (1864–1952)