Arizona State University (ASU) HST102 Europe and the Mediterranean: Ancient and Medieval Practice Exam

The correct answer is Germany, as this country was never part of the Byzantine Empire at any point in its history. The Byzantine Empire, which succeeded the Roman Empire, primarily encompassed areas around the eastern Mediterranean, with its heartland in what is now Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Levant and North Africa.

Greece was integral to the Byzantine Empire both culturally and politically, as it was part of the empire's core territory. Turkey, particularly the region of Anatolia, was the center of the Byzantine Empire, hosting its capital, Constantinople, which is today's Istanbul. Egypt, while not always under direct Byzantine control, was a significant province of the empire, especially during the earlier centuries where it played a vital role in the economy and administration.

In contrast, Germany was geographically and politically separate from the Byzantine sphere of influence, being part of various Germanic tribes and later emerging as the Holy Roman Empire, distinct from Byzantine power. Thus, Germany's absence from the Byzantine world illustrates the empire's boundaries and the regional powers present during the medieval period.