The Byzantine Empire (also known as Byzantium or the Eastern Roman Empire) was the eastern half of the Roman Empire that continued on after it collapsed. With its base at Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the empire existed from 330 CE to 1453 CE, during which its territories extended as far as Western Europe, Asia Minor, and North Africa. This prolific and successful empire developed its own political systems, religious practices, art, and architecture that have all left a mark to this day.
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