2. The preservation of Roman and Greek Culture. Along with the downfall of the Roman Empire, many libraries and other documents were lost. The Byzantine empire survived in the east, along with the rest of the Roman Empire.
1). Bubonic Plague brought an eventual end to Serfdom in Western Europe. The manor system was already in distress, but by 1500 the Black Death had ensured its extinction in most of western and central Europe. Severe depopulation and migration from village to town caused an acute shortage of agricultural workers.
2). The Byzantine Empire has made great contributions to civilization: Greek language and learning have been preserved for posterity; the Roman imperial system has continued and Roman law has been codified; the Greek Orthodox Church has converted some Slavic peoples and has fostered the development of a magnificent new art dedicated to the glorification of the Christian religion.
