: Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) sought to reclaim the lost Western provinces, briefly retaking Italy, North Africa, and parts of Spain.
A thousand-year saga of resilience, intrigue, and survival, the history of the —or the Eastern Roman Empire—is the story of a civilization that preserved the legacy of antiquity while bridging the gap to the modern world. Founded on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium, it rose as the "New Rome" and endured long after the Western Empire fell. I. Foundations: The Birth of New Rome (285–457 AD) A History of Byzantium
: Constantine established a new capital at Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), strategically located on the Bosphorus to control trade between Europe and Asia. : Emperor Justinian I (r
The empire’s origins lie in the restructuring of the Roman state. Founded on the site of the ancient Greek