The Byzantine city is a fundamental part of the history of Byzantium, following its social and economic developments and transformations. Its roots trace back to the Greco-Roman era, of which Byzantine culture is a continuation. It subsequently evolves into a medieval city with a peculiar feudalism, exhibiting many significant differences from the Western Middle Ages. Byzantium balances between Greco-Roman culture and Eastern-style feudalism, as well as between pagan Christianity and the Jewish and Islamic perception of the idea of God as spirit. Within this Asian particularity, the Byzantine city can be compared to its Asian counterparts, while its differences from the European cities of the Western Middle Ages are profound and are expressed in the internal structure of the city.