<span>The Byzantine had major effect on early Rus culture. One of the first major effects is in their written language. Prior to this they used mainly runic script, but after contact they developed a modified Greek script, Cyrillic, to use in their writings. They would also add some items of culture, such as language to these peoples. The word Czar would be developed from Byzantine and Roman culture, from their word Caesar, who was the Emperor and originally derived from the Emperor Julius Caesar. This root word is found in many languages in the area, including Kaiser in Germany. The last impact would be the religion. Greek Orthodoxy, a break away from the church in Rome, gained a foothold here in Russia where it stays until today. The remainder of Western Europe and even some of the Slavic regions are still predominantly Roman Catholic, with exception to Russia and its surrounding regions.</span>
