We've previewed eight civilizations so far, but in this, our ninth installment, we come to the most advanced of all civilizations in Age of Empires II, the Byzantines. As one half of the old Roman Empire, Byzantine was besieged by enemies who coveted her riches. However, while Rome fell, Byzantine did not. Indeed, it flourished for a thousand years after Rome fell. Those within its protected empire believed that it was a shining beacon of civilization amidst a sea of barbarians and foreign invaders.

In history, the Byzantine Empire was a strong civilization with an excellent administrative infrastructure and very advanced technology. It ruled the Mediterranean and fielded a strong army. It maintained the traditions of Rome but added its own Middle Eastern and Greek influences. While the rest of Europe was recovering from the Dark Ages, Byzantine still held on to the advances made by the Roman Empire.

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