Most history books will tell you the Roman Empire fell in the fifth century CE.

Question

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But this would’ve come as a great surprise to the millions of people
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who lived in the Roman Empire up through the Middle Ages.
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This medieval Roman Empire,
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which we usually refer to today as the Byzantine Empire,
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began in 330 CE.
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That’s when Constantine, the first Christian emperor,
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moved the capital of the Roman Empire to a new city called Constantinople,
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which he founded on the site of the ancient Greek city Byzantion.
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When the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410
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and the Empire’s western provinces were conquered by barbarians,
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Constantine’s Eastern capital remained the seat of the Roman emperors.
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There, generations of emperors ruled for the next 11 centuries.
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Sharing continuity with the classical Roman Empire
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gave the Byzantine empire a technological and artistic advantage over its neighbors,
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whom Byzantines considered barbarians.
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In the ninth century, visitors from beyond the frontier
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were astonished at the graceful stone arches and domes
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of the imperial palace in Constantinople.
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A pair of golden lions flanked the imperial throne.
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A hidden organ would make the lions roar as guests fell on their knees.
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Golden birds sung from a nearby golden tree.
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Medieval Roman engineers even used hydraulic engines
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to raise the imperial throne high into the air.
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Other inherited aspects of ancient Roman culture
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could be seen in emperors’ clothing,
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from traditional military garb to togas,
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and in the courts,
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which continued to use Roman law.
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Working-class Byzantines would’ve also had similar lives
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to their Ancient Roman counterparts;
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many farmed or plied a specific trade,
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such as ceramics,
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leatherworking,
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fishing,
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weaving,
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or manufacturing silk.
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But, of course, the Byzantine Empire
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didn’t just rest on the laurels of Ancient Rome.
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Their artists innovated, creating vast mosaics and ornate marble carvings.
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Their architects constructed numerous churches,
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one of which, called Hagia Sophia,
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had a dome so high it was said to be hanging on a chain from heaven.
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The Empire was also home to great intellectuals such as Anna Komnene.
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As imperial princess in the 12th century,
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Anna dedicated her life to philosophy and history.
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Her account of her father’s reign is historians’ foremost source
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for Byzantine political history at the time of the first crusade.
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Another scholar, Leo the Mathematician,
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invented a system of beacons that ran the width of the empire—
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what’s now Greece and Turkey.
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Stretching more than 700 kilometers,
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this system allowed the edge of the Empire to warn the emperor of invading armies
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within one hour of sighting them at the border.
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But their advances couldn’t protect the Empire forever.
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In 1203, an army of French and Venetian Crusaders
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made a deal with a man named Alexios Angelos.
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Alexios was the son of a deposed emperor,
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and promised the crusaders vast riches
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and support to help him retake the throne from his uncle.
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Alexios succeeded, but after a year,
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the population rebelled and Alexios himself was deposed and killed.
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So Alexios’s unpaid army turned their aggression on Constantinople.
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They lit massive fires,
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which destroyed countless works of ancient and medieval art and literature,
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leaving about one-third of the population homeless.
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The city was reclaimed 50 years later by the Roman Emperor Michael Palaiologos,
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but his restored Empire never regained all the territory
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the Crusaders had conquered.
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Finally, in 1453, Ottoman Emperor Mehmed the Conqueror captured Constantinople,
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bringing a conclusive end to the Roman Empire.
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Despite the Ottoman conquest,
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many Greek-speaking inhabitants of the Eastern Mediterranean
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continued to call themselves Romans until the early 21st century.
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In fact, it wasn’t until the Renaissance
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that the term “Byzantine Empire” was first used.
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For Western Europeans,
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the Renaissance was about reconnecting with the wisdom of antiquity.
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And since the existence of a medieval Roman Empire
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suggested there were Europeans who’d never lost touch with antiquity,
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Western Europeans wanted to draw clear lines between the ages.
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To better distinguish the classical, Latin-speaking, pagan Roman Empire
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from the medieval, Greek-speaking, Christian Roman Empire,
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scholars renamed the latter group Byzantines.
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And thus, 100 years after it had fallen, the Byzantine Empire was born.
Based on the text, answer the following questions. 1. Main Idea

What is the main topic or theme of the video?
2. Key Points

List three key points or important facts from the video:

Point 1:

Point 2:

Point 3:

3. Vocabulary

Write down two new or important vocabulary words.

Word 1:

Word 2:

4. Questions

What are two questions you have after watching the video?

Question 1:

Question 2:

5. Connections

How does the video connect to what you already know or other things you’ve learned (provide two)?

Connection 1:

Connection 2:

6. Reflection

What did you find most interesting or surprising in the video?

How might you use the information from this video in your everyday life?

The Chi Rho - the symbol painted on the shield's of Constantine's

Answer 1

1. Main Idea

The video explores the continuity of the Roman Empire through the Byzantine Empire, highlighting its cultural, technological, and historical significance despite the traditional narrative of the Roman Empire's fall in the fifth century CE.

2. Key Points

Point 1: The Byzantine Empire began in 330 CE when Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople and continued to be ruled by emperors for over a millennium after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Point 2: Byzantine culture showcased a blend of ancient Roman influences and innovations, evident in its art, architecture, and legal systems, including large mosaics, the construction of Hagia Sophia, and the use of Roman law.

Point 3: The fall of Constantinople in 1453 marked the end of the Roman Empire, but many Greek-speaking inhabitants still identified as Romans well into the 21st century, illustrating the lasting legacy of the Byzantine Empire.

3. Vocabulary

Word 1: Constantinople - The capital city of the Roman and later Byzantine Empire, founded by Constantine.

Word 2: Crusaders - European warriors who participated in the Crusades, a series of religious wars during the medieval period.

4. Questions

Question 1: What were the primary cultural and technological advancements that defined the Byzantine Empire?

Question 2: How did the identity of the Byzantine citizens evolve after the fall of Constantinople?

5. Connections

Connection 1: The video connects to my knowledge of the Renaissance, as it discusses how Western Europeans sought to reconnect with classical antiquity, which was a key feature of that period.

Connection 2: This relates to my studies on the impact of the Ottoman Empire on European history, particularly regarding the transition of power following the fall of Constantinople.

6. Reflection

I found it most interesting that the Byzantine Empire was perceived as a continuation of the Roman Empire by its inhabitants, despite being labeled as separate by later historians. The resilience of their identity as "Romans" highlights the complexity of historical narratives.

I might use the information from this video to deepen my understanding of how cultural identities are preserved or transformed over time, as well as to appreciate the contributions of the Byzantine Empire to Western civilization.