Changes

==The Background==

The Eastern Roman Empire, often known as the Byzantine Empire, was the successor to the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Western Empire, the eastern provinces continued to keep alive the traditions of Rome. However, over time the Eastern provinces became Greek in culture and outlook. After the expansion of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justinian II, it fell into a period of decline known as the ‘Byzantine Dark Ages’. The eastern Roman Empire faced complete extinction at the hands of first the Persians, then the Arabs. However, it recovered and by the 9th century AD under a series of soldier-emperors, it was once again flourishing, politically and culturally. To the north, the area occupied by modern Ukraine and Russia was people by mainly Slavic tribes. Legend has it that a group of Viking warriors under a leader known as Rurik was invited by them to become their leader. The Norsemen who came from Sweden were part of the great expansion from Scandinavia that changed Europe. The Vikings became a ruling aristocracy who governed a great many tribes and who eventually created a state centered around Kiev and this became a very important trading center <ref>, David Christian. A History of Russia, Mongolia and Central Asia (London, Blackwell, 1999), p 189</ref>. The Vikings over time began to merge with their Slavic and Finnic subjects and became known as the Rus, from this comes the name of Russia. Over a period of decades’, the Rus expanded from Kiev and dominated large areas of modern Ukraine and central and southern Russia. The Rus state was not only the first Russian polity but is also seen as an important stage in the emergence of the Russian people.

==Byzantine-Rus contacts==