This emperor moved the capital of the Roman Empire to the city of Byzantium in AD 330, renaming it Constantinople.
Emperor Constantine
The Byzantine Empire’s capital was strategically located on this strait, linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Bosporus Strait
This major event in 1453 led to the fall of Constantinople and the end of the Byzantine Empire.
The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople
Justinian’s legal code, which became the foundation for Byzantine law, was known as this.
The Justinian Code
These two Byzantine missionaries invented an alphabet to help translate the Bible for the Slavic peoples.
Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the city became the capital of this empire.
The Ottoman Empire
This famous church in Constantinople, rebuilt by Emperor Justinian, became a symbol of Byzantine architecture.
The Hagia Sophia
The main street of Constantinople, lined with merchant stalls, was called this.
The Mese
This emperor reorganized the Byzantine Empire into military districts known as themes.
Emperor Heraclius
This deadly disease hit Constantinople during Justinian's reign, causing the deaths of thousands and significantly reducing the population.
The Plague of Justinian
This controversial religious practice, involving the use of images to aid in Christian devotion, led to riots and disputes in the Byzantine Empire.
Icons
The Nika Rebellion in 532 nearly resulted in the overthrow of Justinian, but his wife, this influential empress, convinced him to stay.
Empress Theodora
The Great Schism of 1054 resulted in the split of Christianity into these two main branches.
The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church
This architectural style, exemplified by the Hagia Sophia, became the hallmark of Byzantine design, characterized by large domes and intricate mosaics.
Byzantine architecture
This Byzantine emperor is credited with preserving the empire through military reforms and strategic defense.
Emperor Heraclius