ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire was a very important empire that lasted for over 1,000 years, from 330 to 1453. It was named after the city of Byzantium, which later became Constantinople (now Istanbul). The Byzantine Empire was located in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, and had a lot of influence on history, especially in the areas of religion, art, and politics.

The Byzantine Empire was ruled by emperors who had a lot of power. They made laws, collected taxes, and led the army. The emperors were usually chosen by the previous emperor, and they were very important people with a lot of responsibilities.

The religion in the Byzantine Empire was Christianity, but it was different from the Christianity that is popular today. It was called Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and it had its own priests and rituals. The Emperor was also considered the head of the church, which meant that he was responsible for making sure that people followed the rules of the religion.

The Byzantine Empire was also known for its art and architecture, which was very different from what people built in other parts of the world at the time. They built large and beautiful churches, with lots of gold, mosaics and frescoes. The Byzantine artists also created beautiful religious icons, which were paintings of religious figures on a flat piece of wood.

The Byzantine Empire was very important in politics, especially because it was located in such an important area. It was a crossroads between Europe and Asia, and many different cultures passed through the Byzantine Empire. The empire also had a lot of enemies, and was attacked many times by Vikings, Persians, and Turks.

In the end, the Byzantine Empire fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, after a long and difficult battle. But the legacy of the Byzantine Empire lives on, especially in the art, architecture, and religion of the Eastern Orthodox Church.