Byzantine Empire Imperium Graecorum or Imperium Romanum??

[Morte66]

I thought they were Roman, until I read a book about them. Now I think that after the first few generations they were "medieval Greek with a strong Roman streak" (law, economics, roads).

But hey, even their contemporaries called them "Romanoi" (in Greek).

p.s. I thoroughly recommend John Julius Norwich's three volume history of Byzantium as a fascinating read.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I consider Byznatium to be the decendant of Rome, but also the remainder. It depends of whether you consider the ERE as a true part of Rome or a spilt-off.

I consider it the continuation of the Roman Empire, with no break.

[keravnos]

Roma as a state begins 753 BCE and ends in another land with a people speaking a different language in 1453 CE. This is my take on it.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Roma as a state begins 753 BCE and ends in another land with a people speaking a different language in 1453 CE. This is my take on it.

Ditto, but I'm more inclined to count from 510, that's still 2,000 years.

[Conqueror]

I remember seeing it described as a "Roman body with Greek mind and Eastern soul", or something to that effect. Not too far from how I view the empire - as a romanized, christianized Greek state with Middle-Eastern influences.

[Kugutsu]

It was a direct continuation of the roman empire wasnt it. The empire disintegrated in the west, but the part that was in the east survived - with its capital in Constantinople. There was no break, and the greeks didnt go and conquer the eastern roman empire to make it their own. The culture simply morphed over time. But then the culture of Rome at the end was nothing like the culture of the city state that fought the carthaginians and then started dreaming of empire. Cultures constantly evolve. Britain now is nothing like the island conquered by the romans, but its still Britain. England now isnt even the same as the country ruled by Victoria, and that was only 100 years ago!

[keravnos]

The people who doubt its direct lineage are also the people who helped destroy it. It makes sense if you think of it this way. It makes more sense now that more than 500 years have passed since its demise.

[Intranetusa]

Roma as a state begins 753 BCE and ends in another land with a people speaking a different language in 1453 CE. This is my take on it.

Actually, the Roman state began in 509 BCE with the founding of the Republic.


My take on it is:
Roman Empire 509 BCE - 476 CE
Byzantine Successor Empire - 1458 CE

I don't consider the Byzantines a continuation of the Roman empire because it's not exactly Roman if it doesn't even control the city of Rome, nor have Latin/Italian culture as the core.

There was no break, and the greeks didnt go and conquer the eastern roman empire to make it their own.

That's because the Greeks were conquered by the Romans. IMO, I don't consider the conquered peoples as a continuation of the empire of the conquerors, especially if they change their language, culture, customs, etc

Greek v Latin, etc