Final answer:
The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, remained stable and prosperous after the Western Roman Empire's fall in 476 CE. Factors contributing to this included the East's effective defense tactics, the lesser threat of barbarian and Persian invasions, a stronger Roman identity, and a stable tax revenue. The Eastern Empire lasted another 1000 years, influencing the cultural and religious landscape of Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, displayed a much different reaction to the fall of its western counterpart. When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, the East, under the capital of Constantinople, remained largely intact and continued to prosper. This was due in part to the fact that many forces invading the West, such as the barbarians, did not pose as great a threat to the East, and the Eastern Empire was able to secure its borders more effectively. The lull in Persian militarism during the fifth century also contributed to the East's relative stability.
Moreover, Constantinople's wealth allowed the Eastern Roman Empire to pay off potential invaders, thus protecting their territory. The East also faced a shorter Danube frontier, which was easier to defend against invasions compared to the West's longer Rhine and Danube frontiers. A critical factor was also the stronger sense of Roman identity in the East, where loyalty and the idea of the Roman Empire persisted among the elites and the military. Additionally, the Eastern Empire maintained a stable tax revenue base, which was crucial for its sustenance, unlike the West, where the loss of territories led to diminished tax incomes.
Finally, the consequences of the East's preservation and the West's fall were long-lasting. The cultural and religious influences that emanated from Constantinople, such as the spread of the Cyrillic alphabet to Slavic nations, are testaments to the enduring legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire. It would continue to survive until its ultimate fall in 1453, a full millennium after the West's collapse.