This episode of Thrones of Power: Empires That Changed the World explores the thousand-year saga of the Byzantine Empire, the eastern continuation of Rome. Founded when Constantine established Constantinople as the new imperial capital in 330 CE, Byzantium preserved Roman law, governance, and culture while blending them with Greek traditions and Christianity.At its height under Justinian I, the empire reconquered parts of the West, codified Roman law in the Corpus Juris Civilis, and built architectural wonders like the Hagia Sophia. Economically, Constantinople thrived as one of the richest cities in the world, controlling key trade routes between Europe and Asia. Diplomatically, Byzantium used both force and subtle strategy, employing Greek Fire in war and playing enemies against one another in peace.Despite constant threats from Persians, Arabs, and later Crusaders, the empire endured through adaptability. However, the Fourth Crusade’s sack of Constantinople in 1204 left Byzantium weakened beyond repair. In 1453, the city fell to the Ottomans under Mehmed II, ending more than a millennium of Byzantine rule.The Byzantine Empire’s legacy lives on in Orthodox Christianity, its preservation of classical knowledge, and its influence on law, diplomacy, and art. Though often overshadowed by Rome, Byzantium was Rome reborn—a bridge between antiquity and the modern world.

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