5. The Split Between East and West
Following Rome’s fall, the divide between the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and the fractured West grew ever wider. While the East survived and even thrived from its capital in Constantinople, the West fragmented into competing kingdoms and tribal territories. This growing separation not only influenced politics, but also religion, culture, and economics—forever shaping Europe’s destiny. As Smithsonian Magazine notes, it marked a decisive shift in the continent’s balance of power.
