395 CE / Europe
Rome's Eastern and Western Rule and Byzantine Continuity
After the death of Theodosius I, his two sons ruled the eastern and western parts of Rome separately; the eastern empire continued to develop while the balance of power in the west gradually changed.
The story
When Theodosius I died in 395, Arcadius and Honorius inherited the eastern and western parts of the empire respectively. There were earlier precedents for dividing administration among several emperors, so 395 was not a moment when two unrelated countries suddenly came into being. Amid war and fiscal pressure, the west gradually developed into several kingdoms, while the east, centered on Constantinople, retained and adapted Roman administration and law. Later generations called it the Byzantine Empire, but its inhabitants still called themselves Romans. Christianity, Greek-language culture, and imperial institutions intertwined there over a long period; the change in western political rule in 476 did not end all Roman traditions.
Elsewhere in the world
Competition and exchange between Eastern Rome and Sasanian Persia connected the Mediterranean, West Asia, and trading networks farther across Eurasia.
Dates and precision
395 CE Documented date
Positioned by the documented year, month or day; missing months and days are not inferred.
Representative map location
Representative coordinates · 41.008°, 28.978°
Coordinates locate a representative point for the story. They do not mean the event happened only here and do not represent historical borders.
Bibliography
- Rice University OpenStax | The Eastward Shift
Sources are listed as bibliography titles, without external links. A reference does not mean every sentence or interpretation has been independently verified.