Eastern Empire
the empire which had its metropolis at Constantinople, as distinguished from the Western one which had its capital at Rome. The Co name did not begin with the building of 394 Constantinople; it arose when, in A. D. 394 , Valentinian, himself ruling ruling at the capital just mentioned, made his brother Valens Emperor of the East. It came still more into use when the final separation between the East and the West took place in A. D. 395. The Eastern Empire is held to have continued till 1453, when its chief city was captured by the Turks and became the Turkish capital. It is sometimes called the Lower Empire, implying that it was later in time than its more celebrated predecessor, to which, however, the name Higher is not applied.