The reason for the existence of the Byzantine Empire.

The existence of the Byzantine Empire lasted from the end of the 4th century AD to the middle of the 15th century. That is, it appeared during the division of the Roman Empire to the west and east 80 years before the fall of Rome in 476, and disappeared 40 years before Columbus’s voyage to the shores of America.

They did not call themselves Byzantines, but Romans, that is, the Romans and continued the traditions of Roman statehood, therefore, in the early Middle Ages, they were superior to the small states of Western Europe in all respects. The serious decline of Byzantium began only in the first years of the XIII century and lasted for 250 years.

Thus, it was a very strong state for that time. During its heyday, it covered the lands from Colchis to northern Morocco, and in the middle period – X-XI centuries: the Balkans and part of modern Turkey.