Dig Into History

2

T

he phrase “Byzantine Empire”

refers to the eastern half of the

Roman Empire, In fact, this eastern

section survived for 1,000 years

after the western half fell to

barbarian invasion and settlement. “Byzantine,”

however, is not the name the inhabitants

themselves used. Rather, it was a term imposed

upon them. They simply called themselves

Romans, and theirs was the Roman Empire.

A New Name

From the beginning of the fourth centuryC.E.,

the Roman Empire was divided into an eastern

section and a western section. The west fell in

476 C.E., when the emperor, Romulus Augustulus,

was deposed and replaced by a general named

Odoacer (see illustration opposite). Odoacer, in

turn, became the first king of Italy. The Empire

in the east lived on much as it had. Eventually,

its organization and society began to change

enough that historians sought a new name to

distinguish the new from the old.

The term “Byzantine” is derived from

“Byzantium,”the name of an ancient Greek

colony on the European side of the Bosporus.

This strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of

Marmara and separates the continents of Europe

and Asia. In 330C.E., the emperor Constantine

refounded Byzantium as the “New Rome.” He

then changed its name to Constantinople. As

polis is the Greek word for “city,” Constantine

had named the city for himself: “City of

Constantine.” This fortress city would flourish

as the capital of a vibrant empire for many

centuries. Its long history, however, was not

without significant challenges and dangers,

both internal and external.

A Melting Pot of Cultures

Culturally, the Byzantine Empire was multi-

ethnic. It was home to Armenians, Egyptians,

Greeks, Jews, Slavs, and Syrians, all of whom

made their contributions. However, when Greek

replaced Latin as the official language in the

seventh century, Byzantine culture became

increasingly Greek.

After the emperor Theodosius issued his decrees

outlawing pagan worship in the late fourth

century, the Empire became officially Christian.

But disagreements concerning doctrine and

worship persisted. Political and social discontent

also disturbed the peace. In the sixth century, for

example, Emperor Justinian I nearly lost his life

Justin D. Lyons

The Site

Located on a peninsula, the site of

Constantinople is guarded on three sides by

water. To the south, the Sea of Marmara

(called the Propontis in antiquity) meets the

Bosporus, the strait that connects to the Black

Sea at the city’s eastern end. These waters

connect to a horn-shaped estuary along the

north side of the peninsula called the Golden

Horn, a natural anchorage and harbor.

The

What,

When,

&Where