byzantine empire By sells470 Period: 300 to 1500 byzantine empire 306 Constantine becomes roman emperor 330 Byzantium becomes capital of roman empire 476 western roman empire collapses 527 Justinian becomes byzantine emperor 700 byzantine emperor bans use of icons and then the pope condemns the orthodox church 1054 great schism between roman catholic church and the byzantine orthodox church 1095 the crusades start and Constantinople is ransacked 1453 Constantinople falls to the ottoman empire and the empire collapses