Roman Empire

After the demise of the Roman Empire three distinct cultures stepped up to fill the void left by the once powerful empire. The three cultures that took the place of the Roman Empire were Islamic, Byzantine, and western European cultures.1 These cultures had their similarities and differences from the Roman Empire.
These cultures took it’s place after years of political, economic and political separation of the empire. After the Roman Empire officially became Christian at the end of the fourth century, the Empire was split into two sections, Eastern and Western Rome.2   As the Germanic people continued to overrun the western half of the empire, it eventually   collapsed. Roman rule still dominated in the east, which became the Byzantine Empire by the early sixth century. The Byzantine Empire “remained economically vibrant and politically.”3 Leaders of the empire did everything in their power to preserve Roman traditions.4  
Constantinople became the hub of the eastern Roman Empire. It was named after the first Byzantine emperor, Constantine. Constantine’s rule differed from previous Roman rulers, mainly due to his view of himself as being above citizens, and being a monarch, viewing the citizens as his subjects expecting to be honored as a god.5 Previously Roman rulers did not dress or rule, such as Constantine did, because they viewed themselves as citizens, not as a greater power.6 When Constantine started to rule, approximately half of the eastern empire was Christian. His religious views helped him unite his empire.  
The Byzantine ruler Justinian, who proved to be the most influential, wanted to recreate the old Rome. By conquest he regained North Africa, Italy, and the Balkans.7 He ensured that parts of old Roman society remained in the Byzantine Empire, old myths and legends were told, there was an educated class and government was maintained.8 Justinian forced remaining polytheists to convert to Christianity, if they did not they would lose their land,...