Byzantium Art, history assignment help

The Byzantine Empire was a Christian Empire that followed the fall of Rome. They saw themselves as Roman even though they spoke Greek instead of Latin. What are some of the ways in which Byzantine art mirrors or echoes Roman art? What is the significance and importance of the Hagia Sophia in terms of its architecture and usage? What is iconoclasm and why did later Byzanties react so strongly against the use of images in worship? Are there any other ways in which we need to recognize the importance of Byzantium, not just as a tranistional period, but as a significant contributor to the larger history of Christian art in Europe?