Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
A starting date for the Byzantine Empire is a matter of debate. Options are: 1.) 527 (Justinian's conquests); 2.) 330, (Constantine moved capital to Constantinople); 3.) 410 (Rome sacked); 4.) 476, "when the Western Empire virtually ceased to exist, leaving Constantinople and the eastern empire as the last bastion of Christian civilization." [Oxford Atlas of World History, p. 66] The borders went through several cycles of decline and recovery. During the reign of Justinian I , the Empire reached its greatest extent (north Africa, Italy, and Rome itself) This territory was held for two more centuries. Maurice stabilized the Empire's eastern frontier. "However, his assassination caused a two-decade-long war with Sassanid Persia which exhausted the Empire's resources and contributed to major territorial losses during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. . . . The final centuries of the Empire exhibited a general trend of decline. It struggled to recover during the 12th century, but was delivered a mortal blow during the Fourth Crusade, when Constantinople was sacked and the Empire dissolved and divided into competing Byzantine Greek and Latin realms." [Wikipedia]
Boethius, the last Roman philosopher, dies in prison
Philosophy
524
Rioting and burning of buildings in Constantinople follows chariot racing
Government
532
Battle of Tricameron--Belisarius ends Vandal empire and controls North Africa
War
533
Hagia Sophia opens in Constantinople--seat of Orthodox Christianity for 900 years
Architecture
537
Silkworms smuggled out of China by two monks for Emperor Justinian
Trade
552
Lombards invade Italy taking northern Italy from Byzantine Empire
War
568
Maurice defeats Sassanians and wins battles in Balkans and Italy
War
582
In August, Muslim forces defeat Byzantine army of Heraclius at Battle of Yarmouk
War
636
Muslims conquer Jerusalem and remain in control of the city until 1099
War
638
Byzantine Dark Ages follows defeat of Heraclius by Muslims
Culture
641
Lombard king Rothari, elected in 636, throws off Byzantine control
Government
643
Constans II wages war to regain Italy
War
663
Arabs begin seige of Constantinople and abandon it 4 years later
War
674
Byzantine and Arab armies meet south of Black Sea at Battle of Sebastopolis
War
694
Emperor Leontius sent to monastery after Arabs win Carthage
Government
698
Moslem forces abandon Seige of Constantinople after defeat by Byzantines
War
717
Emperor Leo III bans the use of Icons
Religion
726
Iconoclast movement begins in the Byzantine Empire under Leo III
Religion
726
Constantine V becomes Byzantine emperor
Government
741
Empress Irene calls Second Council of Nicea which condemns iconoclasm
Religion
787
Use of icons is restored
Religion
843
Byzantines lose Balkans to Bulgaria in Battle of Anchialus
War
917
Basil II, the Bulgar Slayer, has Bulgarian prisoners blinded after battle
War
1015
Togrul, head of Seljuk Turks, makes treaty with Byzantines
Peace
1042
East-West schism begins between Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
Religion
1054
Seljuk Turks defeat Byzantine forces at Battle of Manzikert
War
1071
Urban II starts First Crusade in response to appeal from Byzantine Emperor Alexius
War
1095
Manuel victorious against Hungary, but Serbia (Stefan Nemanja) gains independence
War
1161
Byzantine Emperor Manuel I has all Venetians in Constantinople arrested
War
1171
Bulgarian Empire reestablished after the Uprising of Asen and Peter
War
1185
Crusaders vent frustration by burning Constantinople
Religion
1204
Bulgarians under Emperor Kaloyan defeat Baldwin I at Battle of Adrianople
War
1205
Michael VIII restores Byzantium as Latin Empire falls
War
1261
Constantinople falls to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II
War
1453