Roman Empire vs Byzantine Empire
At its height the Roman Empire (about 5.0 million km² in 117 CE) was about twice the size of the Byzantine Empire (about 2.7 million km² in 555 CE). The Byzantine Empire lasted about 1123 years (330 CE to 1453), the Roman Empire about 502 (27 BCE to 476 CE). They existed side by side from 330 CE to 476 CE.
| Roman Empire | Byzantine Empire | |
|---|---|---|
| Began | 27 BCE | 330 CE |
| Ended | 476 CE | 1453 |
| Lasted | about 502 years | about 1123 years |
| Largest extent | about 5.0 million km² (117 CE) | about 2.7 million km² (555 CE) |
| Share of the world’s land | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| Capital | Rome | Constantinople |
Roman Empire
From Augustus in 27 BCE, Rome ruled the whole Mediterranean world and reached its largest extent under Trajan in 117 CE. The western half fell in 476; the eastern half lived on as the Byzantine Empire.
Began 27 BCE: Augustus becomes emperor. Ended 476 CE: the last western emperor is deposed; the eastern half lives on as the Byzantine Empire.
On the history map: World map in 1 BCE, World map in 200 CE, World map in 400 CE
Byzantine Empire
The eastern Roman Empire, ruled from Constantinople. Justinian won back Italy, North Africa and southern Spain in the 6th century; the empire then shrank slowly until the Ottomans took Constantinople in 1453.
Began 330 CE: Constantinople is founded as the new capital. Ended 1453: the Ottomans take Constantinople.
On the history map: World map in 400 CE, World map in 1000 CE, World map in 1400 CE
More comparisons
- Roman Empire vs Mongol Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 24 million km²
- Roman Empire vs Han dynasty — about 5.0 million km² vs about 6.0 million km²
- Roman Empire vs Ottoman Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 5.2 million km²
- Roman Empire vs Achaemenid Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 5.5 million km²
- Roman Empire vs British Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 36 million km²
- Mongol Empire vs British Empire — about 24 million km² vs about 36 million km²
- Mongol Empire vs Russian Empire — about 24 million km² vs about 23 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Byzantine Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 2.7 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Mughal Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 4.0 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Russian Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 23 million km²
- Achaemenid Empire vs Macedonian Empire — about 5.5 million km² vs about 5.2 million km²
- Han dynasty vs Tang dynasty — about 6.0 million km² vs about 5.4 million km²
- Tang dynasty vs Abbasid Caliphate — about 5.4 million km² vs about 11 million km²
- Umayyad Caliphate vs Abbasid Caliphate — about 11 million km² vs about 11 million km²
- British Empire vs Spanish Empire — about 36 million km² vs about 14 million km²
- Spanish Empire vs Inca Empire — about 14 million km² vs about 2.0 million km²
Compare empires · The interactive history atlas
Largest extents are the widely cited estimates by Rein Taagepera and others, as listed in Wikipedia’s List of largest empires. Dates are the conventional ones; several are debated. Shares are of the world’s land area, about 148.9 million km².