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527–565 CEReputable sourceWell documented

Justinian and the Byzantine Empire

On the timeline · around 527–565 CE · Justinian and the Byzantine Empire500 CE525 CE550 CE575 CE600 CE

What happened

The Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) reconquered much of the old Roman west from the Vandals and Goths, codified Roman law in his famous law code, and rebuilt the great church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, dedicated in 537.

Why it matters

Justinian preserved and transmitted Roman law and Christian culture to later ages, and Hagia Sophia stood for a thousand years as the greatest church in Christendom.

Sources

Justinian and the Byzantine Empire — The Middle Ages · SourcedStory