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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 San Vitale (Ravenna)|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.