東ローマ帝国 ビザンツ帝国 ビザンティン帝国
The [b]Byzantine Empire[/b] (Koine Greek: [i]Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων[/i]), also known as the [b]Eastern Roman Empire[/b], was the continuation of the [[Roman Empire]] in its eastern provinces. 

It lasted from the 5th century AD until its fall to the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1453. It was a powerful economic, cultural, and military force in the Mediterranean, with its capital in [[Constantinople]] (modern-day "Istanbul":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul, Turkey). While its citizens identified themselves Romans, it is distinct from the earlier Roman Empire due to factors like the shift of the capital, the integration of Christianity, and the use of Greek instead of Latin.

Over its history, the Byzantine Empire went through periods of expansion and decline. It reached its peak under Emperor "Justinian I":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justinian_I, reconquering previous western Mediterranean territories. It faced challenges from conflicts, including the "Byzantine-Sasanian Wars":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman%E2%80%93Persian_Wars#Byzantine%E2%80%93Sasanian_wars and "Muslim conquests":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Muslim_conquests, which led to the loss of key provinces. The "Macedonian dynasty":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonian_dynasty oversaw a revival, but it eventually declined due to "civil wars":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Byzantine_revolts_and_civil_wars and the "Fourth Crusade":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Crusade, which divided its territories.

Making a brief recovery in 1261, the Byzantine Empire remained a regional power until its fall in 1453. The "Fall of Constantinople":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinople marked the end of the empire and the start of the early modern period. Refugees from Constantinople played a role in the [[Renaissance]], and the fall of the "Empire of Trebizond":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Trebizond followed shortly after.

Its existence has a lasting legacy, particularly in the fields of art, architecture, law, and Christianity, which continue to influence the world to this day.

h4. See Also
* [[Roman Empire]]
* [[Hagia Sophia]] - a former Byzantine church, turned mosque

h4. External links
* "Wikipedia: Byzantine Empire":[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire]
* "Wikipedia: Byzantine Greeks":[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Greeks]
byzantine empire