Week of April 11 Weekly Final

            The Roman Empire was arguably one of the greatest civilizations ever to be established in ancient human history.  The Roman Empire, however, came to an end, as all civilizations eventually will.  Many scholars and historians argue today over the events that took place as the Roman Empire came to an end.  Some argue that the Empire fell completely, while others say that Rome gradually dissolved and spawned other civilizations.  The Roman Empire did not fall, but gradually dissolved and evolved into what would become the Western Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. 
                     One of the results of the Roman Empire’s dissolution was the Western Roman Empire.  Heather, 2011 states, “The Roman Empire in western Europe - a centralized superstate which had been in existence for 500 years - had ceased to exist, its single emperor replaced by upwards of a dozen kings and princes.”  The western part of the Roman Empire was overtaken by Germanic kings and princes.  This Germanic-governed area did not form independently.  It could not have existed without the dissolution of the Roman Empire.  This newly governed area was a remnant of the original Roman Empire.

            Another result of the dissolution of the Roman Empire was the formation of the Byzantine Empire.  “For the Byzantines were the Roman Empire, not simply a continuation of it in the East. The capital city, Constantinople, had been founded as the capital of Rome by the Emperor Constantine, but a uniquely Greek or Byzantine character to the Roman Empire can be distinguished as early as Diocletian,” says Hooker, 1996.  The Eastern Roman Empire was the foundation for the Byzantine Empire’s creation.  Some culture and character of the Byzantine Empire could be seen in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire even before the Byzantine Empire was ever established.  Many characteristics of the Byzantine Empire were actually already existent in the Eastern Roman Empire.  This shows the direct connection that the Eastern Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire shared.

            The Byzantine Empire did not spontaneously form.  A gradual transformation of what officially was the Eastern Roman Empire allowed for its creation.  BBC, 2007 says, “The move to the east brought with it a gradual change of language from Latin to Greek; this, along with the new religion, changed the whole character of the Empire. When, a century later, Italy and the lands to the west were invaded by 'barbarians' and Rome was taken, the Empire suddenly shrank and became a smaller, more eastern empire.”  The Byzantine Empire had a new character to it, which was most definitely influenced by the area’s former capacity as part of the original Roman Empire. There was a gradual change from Latin to Greek in the Byzantine Empire.  The Roman Empire had mandated that everyone spoke Latin, as that was the official language of the Roman Empire; however, since the Byzantine Empire developed on the foundation of the Eastern Roman Empire, Greek soon became a popular language in the area.  Over time, the Eastern Roman Empire evolved into the Byzantine Empire, developing its own official language and culture as a new empire.

            The Western Roman Empire, which was ruled by Germanic kings and princes, and the Byzantine Empire were both the result of the dissolution of the Roman Empire.  The West developed from the Roman Empire and into something different, as did the East.  The Roman Empire no longer officially existed; however, the remnants of the Empire allowed for the creation of the Western Roman and Byzantine Empires.  Because it did not fall at once, the Roman Empire’s gradual dissolution allowed for the creation of these two empires.

Works Cited

BBC, . (2007, January 26). Byzantium overview. Retrieved from         http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A13970621

Heather, P. (2011, February 17). The fall of rome. Retrieved from         http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/fallofrome_article_01.      shtml

Hooker, R. (1996). The byzantine empire. Retrieved from         http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/MA/BYZ.HTM