The Byzantine Empire over time
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire. On this map it takes in all or part of 45 modern countries in AD 395, 32 in AD 565, 7 in AD 1000 and just 2 in AD 1453, when only Greece and Turkey remain inside the outline.
The empire was biggest just after Justinian's reconquests in AD 565, at about 2.91 million km² including the lands won back in the west. Without them the eastern empire covered about 1,941,191 km². It then lost ground, to about 854,602 km² in AD 1000, 591,029 km² in AD 1180 and just 22,624 km² in AD 1453.
| Date | Area (km²) | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Roman Empire in AD 395 | 1,941,191 | Theodosius I dies; the empire is divided permanently between his sons |
| Roman Empire in AD 476 | 1,941,191 | Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus; the Western empire ends, the East continues |
| Byzantine Empire in AD 565 | 2,910,368 (East 1,941,191, reconquests 969,176) | Justinian I dies after reconquering Italy, North Africa, coastal Dalmatia and south-east Spain |
| Byzantine Empire in AD 1000 | 854,602 | Basil II rules a resurgent Byzantine Empire |
| Byzantine Empire in AD 1180 | 591,029 | Manuel I Komnenos dies; the empire has lost the Anatolian interior but holds the Balkans |
| Byzantine Empire in AD 1453 | 22,624 | Constantinople falls to the Ottomans |
At AD 395 the figure is the Eastern half only; the whole empire then covered 4,717,842 km². AD 565 is the eastern empire plus the reconquered west. AD 1000, 1180 and 1453 are built from modern regions and are rough.
Which countries were in the Byzantine Empire?
At AD 1000 the biggest shares of today's countries inside the empire were Greece (100%), Turkey (79%), Cyprus (62%), Bulgaria (47%), Italy (15%), Albania (2.8%) and Syria (1.3%). Each date page lists every country with its share.
See the whole Roman Empire on the map, from 753 BC →
Frequently asked questions
What was the Byzantine Empire?
The Byzantine Empire is the name given to the eastern half of the Roman Empire after the division of AD 395. Its people called themselves Romans, and it lasted until Constantinople fell in AD 1453.
How big was the Byzantine Empire?
On this map the eastern empire covered about 1,941,191 km² in AD 395, about 2,910,368 km² at its widest after Justinian's reconquests in AD 565, about 854,602 km² in AD 1000 and about 22,624 km² in AD 1453.
When did the Byzantine Empire begin?
There is no single start date. We start the map at AD 395, when the empire was divided permanently between an eastern and a western emperor. The Western empire then ended in AD 476 and the East carried on.
How accurate are the Byzantine borders on this map?
Less accurate than the earlier dates. For AD 1000, AD 1180 and AD 1453 the outlines are built from modern regions, so they follow modern boundaries and are only a rough guide to what the empire held.