From the time of its foundation until the middle of the twelfth century, the Byzantine Empire was the most powerful, richest and most cultured state in Europe.
It is spread over three continents including Europe, Asia and Africa with territories on the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, parts of Armenia and Mesopotamia, islands in the Eastern Mediterranean, possessions in the Caucasus and the Crimea.
The total area occupied by the empire is no less than about one million square kilometers and the population numbered thirty thirty five million inhabitants.
Its emperors attempted to act as supreme suzerains throughout the Christian world.
There were whole legends about the splendor and wealth of the court of the emperors.
From the very moment of my birth, the Byzantine Empire was a "country of cities".
It had a completely literate population.
It is a great trading and maritime power.
Byzantine merchants were able to penetrate into the most remote places of the world, among which were: India, China, Ceylon, Ethiopia, Britain, Scandinavia.
The Byzantine gold solid was used as the international currency.
As for the national composition of the empire, there is a great diversity of different nationalities.
At the beginning of the seventh century, the Greeks made up the largest part of it.
Since that time, the Byzantine emperor has been called "Basileus" (Greek name).
After the subjugation of the Croats and Serbs, and then the conquest of Bulgaria in the ninth and tenth centuries, Byzantium became the state of the Greek Slavs.
On the basis of the religious community, there was a zone of Orthodoxy around the Byzantine Empire, since it was based on a religious community, there were such countries as Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, and most of Serbia.
Latin remained the only official language in Byzantium until the seventh century, but it should be noted along with this the existence of literature in other languages, Greek, Syriac, Armenian and Georgian were used.
The life of society and the whole state as a whole was religious, but as for the secular power, it was the strongest in comparison with the church.
The Byzantine Empire has always had a fairly stable statehood and centralized government of the country.
The political structure of Byzantium is an autocratic monarchy, assuming full power in the hands of the emperor.
He was also in the role of the highest judge, directing foreign policy, he issued laws, he was also the commander of the army.
The power of the emperor was considered divine, therefore, it was practically without any restrictions.
But paradoxically, the power of the emperor was not legally hereditary.
That is why wars were frequent, and there was a turmoil for power.
All of them, as a rule, ended with another new dynasty with its emperors.
In the history of the Byzantine Empire, there are many examples of a simple warrior, peasant, and even a barbarian ruling the country, who, thanks to their dexterity, were able to occupy such a high post.
"Caesarepapism" is a system of special relationships in the Byzantine Empire, which developed between such authorities as the church and the secular.
The emperor, ruling the state and the church, became the "pope".
The Church was only an instrument and an appendage of secular power.
The clergy were completely subordinated to the power of the emperor, depriving them of various privileges at the same time.
Most of the wealth that was kept in monasteries and churches was confiscated.
The cultural life of the state is characterized by the complete canonization of spiritual art.
The artistic creativity of the empire gave the world of the Middle Ages many high images in art and literature, distinguished by the nobility and elegance of forms.
In them, one could see a figurative vision of thought, refinement in aesthetic thinking and the depth of philosophical thought
