Decline of the Byzantine Empire

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The Byzantine Empire experienced cycles of growth and decay over the course of nearly a thousand years. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire to Germanic invaders, the emperor Justinian I pursued an ambitious policy of reconquest, resulting in the restoration of Roman rule over much of the Mediterranean, although Britain, Gaul and much of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa were lost forever. However, he began to be met with a number of crises towards the end of his reign, including conflict with the Sasanian Empire and a major plague. His successors were increasingly forced onto the defensive, first against the Sasanians and later against the Islamic expansion, which resulted in the loss of the Levant, Egypt and Africa during the 7th century. At the same time, the Roman Empire lost control over much of Italy to the Lombards, while Slavic peoples settled the Balkans as far south as the Peloponnese and the Avars conducted raids deep into Byzantine territory, which effectively reduced...

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