ABSTRACT
Byzantium lasted from 330 to 1453, paralleling the Dark Ages and Medieval Period in Western Europe. Its capital in Constantinople was developed as an eventful city, with grand monuments and a lavish imperial court. Whilst Byzantium remained a strong power, its imperial throne was often unstable. Accordingly, many royal rituals and events were developed in order to engender stability and continuity. In turn, these were sometimes copied by the developing monarchies of Western Europe, who sought to emphasise their legitimacy by association with the heir to the Roman Empire.
