According to the lesson "The Byzantine Empire and Russia" from the textbook "World History: Patterns of Interaction," the Byzantine culture had a major influence on early Russia. The Byzantine Empire was the main source of religious and cultural influence in Russia, as the Eastern Orthodox Church was adopted by the Russians and the Byzantine style of art and architecture was adopted in Russia. The Byzantine Empire also provided a model of government for Russia, as the Russian rulers adopted the Byzantine system of autocracy. Additionally, the Byzantine Empire provided a model of trade and commerce for Russia, as the Russians adopted the Byzantine system of taxation and the use of coins.
