When was the last time the Roman Empire (including the Byzantines) was a regional power? The Roman Empire, including its Byzantine continuation, lasted for a remarkably long time, and its status as a regional power varied over the centuries. The Byzantine Empire, often considered the continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, endured until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
In the earlier centuries, the Roman Empire was a dominant and expansive power in the Mediterranean and beyond. However, by the Middle Ages, its territorial extent had diminished significantly. The Byzantine Empire, centered on Constantinople, remained a formidable power in the Eastern Mediterranean for many centuries, even as the Western Roman Empire declined and eventually fell in 476 AD.
The Byzantine Empire reached its height under the reign of Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527–565 AD). During this period, the empire controlled significant territories, including parts of Italy, North Africa, and Spain. However, after Justinian’s reign, the empire faced numerous challenges, including invasions, internal conflicts, and the rise of Islamic powers in the Middle East.
By the late medieval period, the Byzantine Empire had become a much smaller entity, limited to the region around Constantinople and parts of Greece. Its status as a regional power continued to decline, and the empire finally fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, marking the end of the Roman Empire. Therefore, the last time the Roman Empire, including the Byzantine Empire, was a significant regional power was during the earlier centuries of the Byzantine period, with its height under Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century.
