The empire that was the precursor to modern-day Greece is the Byzantine Empire. Emerging from the Eastern Roman Empire, the Byzantine dominance began after the fall of the Western Roman Empire around 476 AD and lasted until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The empire was known for its rich cultural heritage, preservation of Greek and Roman knowledge, and Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine art, architecture, and administration significantly influenced the development of the modern Greek state and its cultural identity, leaving a lasting legacy in Europe and beyond.