CIVILIZATION: Byzantine Empire Time Period: 330-the emperor Constantine built a new capital at Constantinople; Byzantine would be a separate Empire after the Fall of Rome in 476 to1453-the taking of Constantinople by the Ottoman empire Geographic Description: -Eastern half of the Roman Empire that lived on after the fall -Capital Constantinople benefited from strategic location which protected the area from barbaric invasions while rest of Roman Empire fell -Covered an area from Rome through southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, down to Egypt and across North Africa, as well as a portion of Spain at its height under Justinian; in 600s it would slowly lose land ? growth of Islam caused land loss as well as desire for independence in the Balkans later P