How did the Byzantine Empire last so long?
The Roman Empire was conquered by barbarians in AD 476. The eastern part of the empire was under Persian rule for another two centuries. The Byzantines were able to take over the capital of the barbarian empire of Attila the Hun, and they gradually extended their rule over the entire former empire of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
How did the Byzantine Empire last so long after its fall?
Despite the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 AD and the subsequent division of the empire, the Byzantine Empire did not actually come to an end. The Byzantine Empire was reconstituted in the form of the Eastern Roman Empire, which still exists today under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church. The Catholic Church did not recognize the new Christian Church as a true continuation of the early Church and so the Eastern Orthodox Church was not in communion with the Catholic Church.
How did the Latin Empire last so long as the Byzantine Empire?
The Latin Empire lasted until 1204 AD when the Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire. The Crusaders did not, however, take control of the remaining Byzantine territory. It was taken over by the Eastern Orthodox Church, which had been exiled from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.
How did the Byzantine Empire last so long as the Eastern Roman Empire?
Even after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire managed to continue for another 1,500 years. One reason for this remarkable endurance is that it had a very decentralized system of government. A good example of this is the way the Roman emperors chose their successors. Normally, the emperor would choose just one of his sons as his heir, relying on the support of the people and the senatorial class. But the emperors of the Byzantine Empire could choose among their entire family line
How did the Latin Empire last so long?
After the division of the Roman Empire in AD 395, the eastern part of the former empire was ruled by the Byzantine Empire. In AD 604, after securing the area from Sassanid invaders, Emperor Heraclius captured the capital of the Persian Empire, Ctesiphon. Thus, the Byzantine Empire also captured Jerusalem, Caesarea, and all of the territory of the former Roman provinces of Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.
