Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a bronze coin of the Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great, who ruled from 527-565 AD.
Contrary to popular belief, the Roman Empire didn’t entirely collapse in 476 AD. In reality, only the Western half of the Roman Empire fell to barbarians. The Eastern portion of the Roman Empire still survived and thrived. In fact, the Eastern Roman Empire would survive for another 1000 years into medieval times. Thus, the “Fall of Rome” and the “Dark Ages” only applied to Western Europe, as the Roman Empire still survived in Eastern Europe.
Historians refer to the surviving Eastern Roman Empire as the “Byzantine Empire.” The capital city of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople, which is now known as Istanbul in Turkey. The Byzantine Empire’s inhabitants spoke Greek and were devout Orthodox Christians. Despite being Greek speakers, the Byzantine Empire’s citizens self-identified themselves as “Romans.” After all, the Byzantine Empire was the surviving remnant of the Roman Empire.
One of the greatest Byzantine emperors was Justinian. Justinian was a poor peasant before he became emperor. His uncle, Justin, was a general in the Byzantine army. Justin had Justinian educated in theology, law, and philosophy. Justinian would serve as an advisor to Justin. Justinian used his political skills to help his uncle Justin become the Byzantine emperor. In turn, Justin made Justinian his co-emperor. After Justin’s death, Justinian became the sole emperor. With Justinian in full control of the Byzantine Empire, he began his ambition of retaking the Western provinces from the barbarians to reunify the Roman Empire.
Emperor Justinian used his political and diplomatic skills to legally justify his wars against the barbarian kingdoms. Justinian pitted the barbarian kingdoms against each other, and militarily intervened when it suited him. Basically, Justinian was an early practitioner of “nation building.”
One of Justinian’s first targets was the barbarian kingdom of North Africa. North Africa was ruled by a barbarian tribe known as the Vandals. The Vandal queen was an ally of Justinian. After the queen was overthrown by the Vandal nobility, Justinian established legal justification in invading North Africa. Justinian sent his best general, Belisarius, to North Africa. The Byzantine army was heavily outnumbered by the Vandal army. Fortunately for the Byzantines, general Belisarius was a military genius. Belisarius used guerilla tactics to defeat the entire Vandal army within a few months. Belisarius’s victories brought North Africa under the control of the Byzantine Empire.
A year later, Emperor Justinian sent general Belisarius to reconquer Italy. Italy was under the control of a barbarian tribe known as the Goths. General Belisarius captured various Italian cities with little opposition. Eventually, the Byzantine army defeated the Goths and captured the city of Rome in 540 AD. However, it took another 14 years to complete the reconquest of Italy in 562 AD.
The reconquest of North Africa and Italy brought them back under Roman rule. Emperor Justinian’s efforts briefly reunified the Western and Eastern halves of the Roman Empire. Justinian is often regarded as one of the greatest Byzantine emperors. Modern historians nicknamed Justinian “the Last Roman.” After his death, Justinian was made a saint of the Orthodox Church.
This is a bronze coin of the Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great, who ruled from 527-565 AD.
Contrary to popular belief, the Roman Empire didn’t entirely collapse in 476 AD. In reality, only the Western half of the Roman Empire fell to barbarians. The Eastern portion of the Roman Empire still survived and thrived. In fact, the Eastern Roman Empire would survive for another 1000 years into medieval times. Thus, the “Fall of Rome” and the “Dark Ages” only applied to Western Europe, as the Roman Empire still survived in Eastern Europe.
Historians refer to the surviving Eastern Roman Empire as the “Byzantine Empire.” The capital city of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople, which is now known as Istanbul in Turkey. The Byzantine Empire’s inhabitants spoke Greek and were devout Orthodox Christians. Despite being Greek speakers, the Byzantine Empire’s citizens self-identified themselves as “Romans.” After all, the Byzantine Empire was the surviving remnant of the Roman Empire.
One of the greatest Byzantine emperors was Justinian. Justinian was a poor peasant before he became emperor. His uncle, Justin, was a general in the Byzantine army. Justin had Justinian educated in theology, law, and philosophy. Justinian would serve as an advisor to Justin. Justinian used his political skills to help his uncle Justin become the Byzantine emperor. In turn, Justin made Justinian his co-emperor. After Justin’s death, Justinian became the sole emperor. With Justinian in full control of the Byzantine Empire, he began his ambition of retaking the Western provinces from the barbarians to reunify the Roman Empire.
Emperor Justinian used his political and diplomatic skills to legally justify his wars against the barbarian kingdoms. Justinian pitted the barbarian kingdoms against each other, and militarily intervened when it suited him. Basically, Justinian was an early practitioner of “nation building.”
One of Justinian’s first targets was the barbarian kingdom of North Africa. North Africa was ruled by a barbarian tribe known as the Vandals. The Vandal queen was an ally of Justinian. After the queen was overthrown by the Vandal nobility, Justinian established legal justification in invading North Africa. Justinian sent his best general, Belisarius, to North Africa. The Byzantine army was heavily outnumbered by the Vandal army. Fortunately for the Byzantines, general Belisarius was a military genius. Belisarius used guerilla tactics to defeat the entire Vandal army within a few months. Belisarius’s victories brought North Africa under the control of the Byzantine Empire.
A year later, Emperor Justinian sent general Belisarius to reconquer Italy. Italy was under the control of a barbarian tribe known as the Goths. General Belisarius captured various Italian cities with little opposition. Eventually, the Byzantine army defeated the Goths and captured the city of Rome in 540 AD. However, it took another 14 years to complete the reconquest of Italy in 562 AD.
The reconquest of North Africa and Italy brought them back under Roman rule. Emperor Justinian’s efforts briefly reunified the Western and Eastern halves of the Roman Empire. Justinian is often regarded as one of the greatest Byzantine emperors. Modern historians nicknamed Justinian “the Last Roman.” After his death, Justinian was made a saint of the Orthodox Church.
