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The '''Byzantine Empire''' is the name given to the eastern part of the [[Roman Empire]], which survived until well into the [[Middle Ages]].  First split into an Eastern and Western divisions by [[Diocletian]] in 293, the Eastern Empire went on to outlive its Western half by 1000 years. Founded by the Emperor [[Constantine]] in 330 in the city of Constantinople, a coincidence that want't to be matched until [[Cecil Rhodes]] discovered [[Rhodesia]], the empire was multi-ethnic and predominantly Greek-speaking.  The empire's heritage consisted of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Greek]] philosophy,[[Greek]] language, Byzantine Art and Architecture and Roman law. They were also responsible for originating and popularising what is now known as a Turkish Kebab.  

The '''Byzantine Empire''' is the name given to the eastern part of the [[Roman Empire]], which survived until well into the [[Middle Ages]].  First split into an Eastern and Western divisions by [[Diocletian]] in 293, the Eastern Empire went on to outlive its Western half, which fell in 454 A.D., by 1000 years. Founded by the Emperor [[Constantine]] in 330 in the city of Constantinople, the empire was multi-ethnic and predominantly Greek-speaking.  The empire's heritage consisted of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Greek]] philosophy,[[Greek]] language, Byzantine Art and Architecture and Roman law. While western Europe struggled through the dark ages, the Byzantine Empire kept up an aura of refinement and defensive strength that sheltered Europe from the attacks of [[Islam]].

Though Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion of the Empire, his immediate sucessors were not that sympathetic, preferring the older Roman gods. The Emperor Julian the Apostrophe, 331 -360, went as far as outlawing Christianity but on his death, it was reintroduced by his sucessor, the Emperor Jovial.  

Constantine legalized Christianity and put an end to 300 years of Christian persecution in the Empire and his son [[Constantius]] (337-361) continued to follow in his father's footsteps.  But [[Julian]], Constantius' scholarly cousin who Constantius helped to rise to prominence, usurped the Emperorship; Constantius died on the way to meet Julian in battle and Julian became sole ruler.  Immediately he renounced Christianity and embraced paganism. He became known to the Christian Church and history as "Julian the Apostate" (361 - 363).  He went so far as to outlaw Christianity but upon his death, it was reintroduced by his sucessor, the Emperor [[Jovial]].  

Christianity didn't have an easy ride at first and took some time to settle down and be accepted by the bulk of the population as the predominant and official religion of the Empire. For example, a few hundred years after the founding of the church and the 20 or so years after Constantine's declaration making Christianity the formal religion of the Roman Empire, Christian church fathers began to turn their attention away from such trivialities as "surviving persecution" and toward the greater mysteries of the multitude of Gospels and letters that comprised Christian scripture. One such problem was the nature of Christ. One prominent church leader, named Arius, delved deep into the major gospels and letters and found that there was a problem with the idea of Christ having been "elevated", as Paul states, from humanity to deity at the resurrection. Essentially, this would mean a second God had been created - and Christianity was supposed to be monotheistic. The notion of "creating" a God was also extremely troublesome, but Arius held that this is precisely what scripture would imply. Another prominent leader, Athanasius, came up with a resolution to this problem by declaring that Jesus had always been God, and had become human through birth... etc. etc. And because 2 was not a divine number, but 3 was, Athanasius threw in the OT concept of the "Holy Spirit" to create an eternal trinity. There, no problem - Jesus was just another part of God, but had always been God and... you get the idea.  

Christianity didn't have an easy ride at first and took some time to settle down and be accepted by the bulk of the population as the predominant and official religion of the Empire. For example, a few hundred years after the founding of the church and the 20 or so years after Constantine's declaration making Christianity the formal religion of the Roman Empire, Christian church fathers began to turn their attention away from such trivialities as "surviving persecution" and toward the greater mysteries of the multitude of Gospels and letters that comprised Christian scripture. One such problem was the nature of Christ. One prominent church leader, named Arius, delved deep into the major gospels and letters and found that there was a problem with the idea of Christ having been "elevated", as Paul states, from humanity to deity at the resurrection. Essentially, this would mean a second God had been created - and Christianity was supposed to be monotheistic. The notion of "creating" a God was also extremely troublesome, but Arius held that this is precisely what scripture would imply. Another prominent leader, Athanasius, came up with a resolution to this problem by declaring that Jesus had always been God, and had become human through birth... etc. etc. And because 2 was not a divine number, but 3 was, Athanasius threw in the OT concept of the "Holy Spirit" to create an eternal trinity. There, no problem - Jesus was just another part of God, but had always been God and... you get the idea.