How was byzantine different from rome?

Answer 1

If by "their western counterparts" you mean medieval Europe, this is how. First of all, the Byzantines were citizens of the Eastern Roman Empire, originally controlling north Egypt, Palestine, Asia Minor (Turkey), and the Balkans (up to the Danube river). This in itself plays a huge part in their culture. For example, the Romans bathed more, traded more, learned more, read more, wrote more, built more, and resorted to diplomacy more than the rest of Europe. Unfortunately, they didn't fight more, so their armies, along with most of their empire, crumbled under the experienced (and religiously motivated) Arabian conquerors. This left them with the Balkans and a select few coastal provinces on the Black Sea. Another difference they had between themselves and Europe was that they (and some other places in eastern Europe) followed Orthodox Christianity, led by the Byzantine emperor in Constantinople, while Western Europe largely followed Catholic Christianity, led by the pope in Rome. Back then what kind of Christian you were was just as important as if you were a Christian at all. The Byzantines were also very smart. They managed to use Greek fire, a type of fire that ignites and burns only on or in water. This technology was so sophisticated that even modern scientists aren't exactly sure how it worked. Yet another difference is the Byzantine government. The rest of Europe was almost frozen (as far as progress is concerned) under Feudalism, where 90% of people are too oppressed to create scientific achievements and everyone else is yelled at by the church if they do. The Byzantines worked in a capitalist monarchy much more familiar to us today. All of this makes one wonder why we are told tales of knights in shinning armor instead of the Byzantine comestantine. The answer: as smart as the Byzantines were, they were pretty much seen as in the way and were pushed around until their final defeat in 1453 at the hands of the Ottoman Turks (who gave Constantinople it's modern name -- Istanbul).

Answer 2

The Byzantine empire was the Roman Empire.

Byzantine Empire is a term which has been coined by historians to indicate the eastern part of the Roman Empire after the fall of the western part of this empire. The eastern part of the Roman Empire continued to exist for nearly 1,000 years after the fall of the western part of the Roman Empire. The people in question did not use this term. They called their empire Roman Empire or Romania (this referred to this empire and not the country which was later called Romania).

One of the main differences between the western and the eastern parts of the Roman Empire, even before the Byzantine period was that the main form of Christianity in the west was Latin or Western Christianity and the main form of Christianity in the east was Greek or Eastern Christianity. Later they came to be called Catholic and orthodox respectively.

The other difference is language. The term Byzantine is derived from Byzantium, the Greek city which was redeveloped, turned into the imperial capital of the eastern part of the Roman Empire and renamed Constantinople by the emperor Constantine the Great in 330. It is used to indicate the fact that not long after the fall of the west, this empire became centred on Greece and Greek in character after it lost most of its non-Greek territories. Greek replaced Latin as the official language of this empire in 620, some 150 years after the fall of the west.

Answer 3

First of all, the Byzantines were Romans. Byzantine and Byzantine Empire are terms which have been coined by historians to indicate the eastern part of the Roman Empire after the fall western part of this empire. The so called "Byzantines" did not use this term. They called their empire Empire of the Romans and considered themselves Romans. They were Roman citizens. In 215 the emperor Caracalla had extended Roman citizenship to all the inhabitants of the Roman Empire.

This part of the Roman Empire always had a strong Greek influence. This was because the Greeks ruled the areas of this part of the empire before it was taken over by the Romans. Therefore, the local elites were Greeks or locals who had taken up the Greek ways.

After the fall of the western part of the Roman Empire, the part of this empire which survived became Greek in character. The term Byzantine was chosen as a derivation from Byzantium, a Greek city which had evolved into a Roman city under Roman rule and which was then redeveloped, turned into an imperial capital and renamed Constantinople (City of Constantine) by the Roman emperor Constantine the Great in 330. It is used to indicate the fact that not long after the fall of the western part of the Roman Empire, this part of the empire became centred on Greece and Greek in character after it lost most of its non-Greek territories. Greek replaced Latin as the official language of this empire in 620, some 150 years after the fall of the western part.

Answer 4

The Byzantine empire was the Roman Empire. Byzantine Empire is a term which has been coined by historians to indicate the eastern part of the Roman Empire after the fall of the western part. The people in question did not know this term and said Roman Empire.

One of the big differences was religion. In the west Latin/Western Christianity was the main form of Christianity. In the east it was Greek/Eastern Christianity. Later they came to be called Catholic and Orthodox respectively. Another was ethnicity. The eastern part was in the eastern Mediterranean and had Greeks, Thracians, ethnicities in Turkey, Syriacs, Phoenicians, Jews and Egyptians. Because this area had been ruled by Greek states before its conquest by the Romans, in many areas the elites were Greeks or locals who had taken on the Greek ways.

Answer 5

the Byzantine Empire was orthodox christian and spoke greek, while the Romans spoke latin and had the catholic side of Christianity.

Answer 6

Why