Lead: Most Balkan countries during the medieval period lost their independence. Intro: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts. Content: Consider the former Yugoslavia geographically. It runs from northwest to southeast along the Adriatic Sea across from Italy. A line bisects this region, a line that had its origins during the reign of Emperor Constantine who divided the Roman Empire into east and west for administrative efficiency. Loading... Taking too long? Reload document | Open in new tab Download [68.77 KB] Share