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When Justinian came to the throne of the eastern empire he began efforts to expand his Orthodox realm (commonly called Byzantium) back into the former western parts of the empire. In 540, Ravenna was taken by [[Justinian]]’s forces under Belisarius and became the seat of Justinian’s governor (exarch) of the Exarchate of Ravenna.
During this time Orthodox Christianity flourished. Byzantine architecture was in fashion. The principal remaining example of this Orthodox presence in Ravenna is the Church of St. Vitale. This octagonal [[church]], dating from 548, was built under the sponsorship of Justinian I and his wife, [[Theodora (wife of Justinian)|Theodora]], who both are memorialized in mosaics on the north and south walls of the [[apse]] of the church.
Under Constantinople the [[archbishop]] of Ravenna was granted [[autocephaly]], a privilege that the see continued to hold even after the area returned under the Bishop of Rome. Ravenna remained under Eastern Roman (Byzantine) rule until 751.
