The Byzantine Empire is the eastern part of the once powerful and vast Roman Empire. It was formed as a result of its division between the sons of the last emperor of a single country, Theodosius, Arkady and Honorius. In the future, the fate of both empires developed differently, however, the eastern part - Byzantium lasted almost a thousand years longer than the western, until 1453. The peoples of the Byzantine Empire under Justinian can be found in numerous Greek sources.
The advent of Byzantium
The Eastern Roman Empire was a very developed state of its era both economically and politically. Constantine and his followers pursued the goal of every possible strengthening of the state and put their power on an unattainable level. It was announced that the power of Basileus is the will of God, thus deriving a formula for the divine origin of the power of the Byzantine emperors. What peoples inhabited the Byzantine Empire under Justinian is a rather serious question. This statesman led a great war of conquest, and the territory of the country during his reign has repeatedly changed. In 534, the territory of northeast Africa came under Byzantine rule, and by the mid-50s of this century Italy and the Ostrogoths were included in the orbit of the country's influence. In 553, Justinian, taking advantage of feuds, captured part of the Iberian Peninsula. However, these conquests were very unstable and were constantly subjected to the onslaught of the Visigoths, Lombards and other peoples of the neighboring empire.
Justinian Conquests
Therefore, it is only possible to say what peoples inhabited the Byzantine Empire under Justinian, but this area is quite large: we can say with absolute certainty that the Slavs, Greeks, a large part of Armenians, Arabs, Jews are included in the state. This required the state of extreme stress and maximum use of all available resources. However, Emperor Justinian did not take into account the costs, trying to turn Byzantium into the likeness of the Roman Empire at the time of its highest prosperity. All this predictably led to great indignation of the people, it was with this sovereign that the country was shaken by the most powerful uprisings in the entire history of the empire. Syria, Palestine, Egypt were taxed exorbitantly, in addition, because of these rich and strategically important lands, the state was permanently at war with the Persians. Such was the Byzantine Empire under Justinian. The map of his conquests clearly shows the expansion of the state, however, it was extremely unstable in socio-political terms.
Prerequisites for the collapse of the empire
This policy provoked a response in the newly conquered lands, the Byzantines, like their predecessors the Romans, repeated similar mistakes: having conquered a vast territory, they could not fully control it. Therefore, to answer the question: "What peoples inhabited the Byzantine Empire under Justinian?" - it is possible in different ways, depending on what time period from his reign is meant. But even in this case, the revolts and attacks of the Slavs broke away from the empire, one or the other, and Byzantium again had to take titanic efforts to conquer the deposited peoples. However, Emperor Justinian not only fought. The architecture has undergone great development, true works of art are being created, it is then that the majestic temple of St. Sophia in Constantinople, book publishing was greatly developed. The history of the Byzantine Empire is the clearest example of state building, stunning art, adjacent to unprecedented cruelty and despotism.