Byzantine Empire
 Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων  (Ancient Greek)
Imperium Romanum  (Latin)
395–1453
Flag of Byzantine Empire
Chi Rho(see Byzantine insignia)
Solidus depicting Christ Pantocrator, a common motif on Byzantine coins. of Byzantine Empire
Solidus depicting Christ Pantocrator, a common motif on Byzantine coins.
The empire in 555 under Justinian the Great, at its greatest extent since the fall of the Western Roman Empire (its vassals in pink)
The empire in 555 under Justinian the Great, at its greatest extent since the fall of the Western Roman Empire (its vassals in pink)
The territorial evolution of the Eastern Roman Empire under each imperial dynasty until its fall in 1453.
The territorial evolution of the Eastern Roman Empire under each imperial dynasty until its fall in 1453.
CapitalConstantinople
Common languages
  • Greek
  • Latin
  • Regional / local languages
Religion
  • Eastern Christianity
  • Eastern Orthodoxy
  • Minority: Islam and Judaism
Demonym(s)Rhōmaîos
Notable emperors 
• 306–337
Constantine I
• 395–408
Arcadius
• 402–450
Theodosius II
• 527–565
Justinian I
• 610–641
Heraclius
• 717–741
Leo III
• 797–802
Irene
• 867–886
Basil I
• 976–1025
Basil II
• 1042–1055
Constantine IX
• 1081–1118
Alexios I
• 1143–1180
Manuel I
• 1449–1453
Constantine XI
Historical eraLate Antiquity to Late Middle Ages
• First division of the Roman Empire
1 April 286
• Founding of Constantinople
11 May 330
• Final East–West division after the death of Theodosius I
17 January 395
• Fall of the West; deposition of Romulus
4 September 476
• Assassination of
Julius Nepos
9 May 480
• Early Muslim conquests; start of the Dark Ages
634–750
• Battle of Manzikert; loss of Anatolia due to following civil war
26 August 1071
• Sack of Constantinople by Catholic crusaders
12 April 1204
• Reconquest of Constantinople
25 July 1261
• Fall of Constantinople
29 May 1453
• Fall of Morea
29 May 1460
• Fall of Trebizond
15 August 1461
Population
• 457
16,000,000
• 565
26,000,000
• 775
7,000,000
• 1025
12,000,000
• 1320
2,000,000
CurrencySolidus, denarius and hyperpyron
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Roman Empire
Ottoman Empire
  1. ^Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίωνmay be transliterated in Latin asBasileia Rhōmaiōn, literally meaning "Monarchy of the Romans", but commonly rendered "Empire of the Romans".
  2. ^Between 1204 and 1261 there was an interregnum when the Latin Empire took control of Constantinople, causing the Byzantine Empire itself to be divided into the Empire of Nicaea, the Empire of Trebizond and the Despotate of Epirus. The Empire of Nicaea is considered by historians to be the legitimate continuation of the Byzantine Empire because it managed to retake Constantinople.
  3. ^Constantinople became the capital of the (united) empire in 330. In 395 the empire was permanently divided in two halves after the death of Theodosius I.
  4. ^Tolerated after the Edicts of Serdica (311) and Milan (313); state religion after 380.
  5. ^Following the East–West Schism of 1054.
  6. ^See Population of the Byzantine Empire for more detailed figures taken provided by McEvedy and Jones,Atlas of World Population History, 1978, as well as Angeliki E. Laiou,The Economic History of Byzantium, 2002.