Determine the central issue or problem the Roman and Byzantine. Read the details of the passage.
a. What problem or issue is the main focus of the passage?
b. What facts or details support your answer?
a. The central issue or problem discussed in the passage is the decline of the Roman and Byzantine Empires.
b. The passage states that the Roman Empire was weakened by internal divisions, military defeats, and economic decline, while the Byzantine Empire was weakened by the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the spread of the Black Death. It also mentions that both empires were weakened by the rise of Christianity, which caused a shift in power away from the traditional ruling classes.