Why the Eastern Roman Empire Outlived the Western Roman Empire

Why the Eastern Roman Empire Outlived the Western Roman Empire

One of the reasons why the Eastern Roman Empire outlived the Western Roman Empire was that the latter had too many borders to defend. The porous borders of the Western Roman Empire exposed the jurisdiction to unending barbarian incursions. Although the Eastern Roman Empire received an equal share of attacks, especially from Goths and Huns, other areas such as Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Anatolia were significantly safe (Treadgold, pp. 66-91). In contrast, the Western Roman Empire could not defend its long borders. As a result, they were overrun by the Balkan army, which plundered their resources and attacked critical installations in Rome.

Also, the Eastern Roman Empire survived for a long time compared to the Western Roman Empire due to its strong economy. For instance, Egypt, part of the Eastern Roman Empire, was a breadbasket that had long funded the United government (Treadgold, pp. 66-91). Besides, all important trading centers with outside countries, such as China and India, were all located in the Eastern Roman Empire, and this bolstered its economic status, further contributing to its longevity. On the other hand, the Western Roman Empire’s economy, which had long operated in survival mode, was obliterated once sources for gold and enslaved people were diminished.

Further, the Eastern Roman Empire had an organized bureaucracy compared to the Western Roman Empire. To that end, the bureaucratic system ensured that the empire was run smoothly, even if the emperor failed (Garnsey and Saller, 35). Another advantage resulting from the bureaucratic system is that it ensured that taxes were collected smoothly. With a solid tax base, the emperor managed to survive long since it had sufficient funding to defend itself and conquer.

Works Cited

Garnsey, Peter, and Richard P Saller. The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture. Oakland, California, University Of California Press, 2015.

Treadgold, Warren. “The Persistence of Byzantium.” The Wilson Quarterly (1976-), vol. 22, no. 4, 1998, pp. 66–91, www.jstor.org/stable/40260386.

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Despite its numerous weaknesses and enemies, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) outlived the Western Roman Empire by nearly a millennium. Byzantium’s longevity may have been the result of at least two factors:
The close union between church and state, which made religious faith and Byzantine national identity almost synonymous and

Why the Eastern Roman Empire Outlived the Western Roman Empire

The rich cultural identity of the Byzantine Empire.
Using the resources provided in this module, as well as your textbook, address the following:
Explain why you believe the Eastern Roman Empire outlived the Western Roman Empire
Be sure to reference the resource(s) from this module upon which you have based your assertions.
Your personal beliefs or views are not acceptable explanations for this assignment.
Keep your response between 250 and 300 words.