What made Byzantium "Roman" other than its formerly being part of the Roman Empire? How Roman was it when it spoke Greek and, after the 11th century, was no longer Catholic?

http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1338398026

http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/byzantine_empire.htm

see the section entitled "significance"

Here's an interesting perspective of this question.

http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/RomanMacedonia/ByzantineEmpire.html

And another --

http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/legacy/highschool/socstud/global2_review/byzantine_empire.htm

Byzantium, which later became known as the Byzantine Empire, can be considered "Roman" due to its historical and cultural ties to the Roman Empire. Here are some factors that made Byzantium "Roman" beyond its previous association with the Roman Empire:

1. Continuity of Roman Institutions: The Byzantine Empire inherited and adopted many political, legal, administrative, and military institutions from the Roman Empire. Byzantine emperors, for example, held titles such as "Augustus" and "Imperator" similar to their Roman predecessors.

2. Legal System: The Byzantine Empire preserved and further developed Roman law. Emperor Justinian codified Roman laws, creating the renowned "Justinian Code" (Corpus Juris Civilis). This legal system had a significant influence on Western legal traditions.

3. Christian Religion: The Byzantine Empire maintained Christianity as its official religion, just like the Roman Empire. While the Byzantine Empire eventually diverged from Catholicism and embraced Eastern Orthodoxy, it still adhered to many core Christian beliefs and practices.

4. Greek-Roman Synthesis: Although Greek became the predominant language in the Byzantine Empire, there was a continuous presence of Latin and Latin-speaking populations. Greek and Roman cultural traditions also coexisted and influenced each other, resulting in a fusion known as the "Greek-Roman synthesis."

5. Imperial Claims: The Byzantine emperors claimed to be the legitimate heirs of the Roman Empire. They often referred to themselves as "Romanos" (Roman) and considered Constantinople, their capital, as the "New Rome."

It is essential to note that over time, the Byzantine Empire developed its distinctive identity, blending Greek, Roman, and other influences. However, despite these cultural and religious differences, the Byzantine Empire remained closely connected to its Roman roots through its institutions, legal systems, and self-perception.