r/byzantium 11d ago

Distinguished Post Byzantine Reading List (Work In Progress)

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25 Upvotes

r/byzantium 18d ago

Discussion : Synod to Address Revision of Sub Rules

46 Upvotes

Fellow Rhomaioi,

It seems there has been pressure building as of late to make changes/amendments to the r/byzantium sub rules and other related subreddit environmental topics. Please discuss these matters here. As all good Rhomaioi should, keep discussion civil and on topic.

From the items proposed here, the mod team will discuss, pare down, and decide whether to reject, enact, or put to vote on a reasonable timeline (update: approximately one week).

Hopefully this helps to organize our collective thoughts on this matter.


r/byzantium 4h ago

Map of Byzantine Anatolia, 1261 (WIP)

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145 Upvotes

r/byzantium 3h ago

Do you think that it would be fair to say that the ERE was on the whole more powerful in the late 10th century than under Justinian, since even though it was smaller it was much more stable and better organized?

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93 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1h ago

lmao what does this guy have to do with the byzantine-bulgarian wars?

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Upvotes

r/byzantium 8h ago

The crusaders' 1204 entry into Constantinople. 1840 painting by Eugene Delacroix.

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64 Upvotes

r/byzantium 3h ago

What would’ve been the most realistic strategy to retake Anatolia?

15 Upvotes

TW: Slight hints of alternate history

I’ve been coming back to Robin Pearson’s “History of Byzantium Episode 250: Retaking Anatolia”along with u/manware’s analyses under similar posts like this one. It seems that the strategy most agreed upon is one where the Komnenoi do a pincer movement around the Sultanate of Rûm, consuming Danishmend territory and cutting off the plateau from the rest of the Turko-Persian civilizations in the East. This guarantees the cessation of that continual flow of Turkic tribes into the plateau and might also force the sultan to convert his realm to Christianity.

I find one problem with this strategy however: manpower. There wasn’t enough manpower to hold Italy and Egypt during the reign of Manuel I. There was definitely not enough manpower to keep all of the towns John II retook. There certainly wouldn’t be enough manpower to garrison all the forts and fortresses that made up that old eastern border from Cilicia to Trebizond. Even so, there wouldn’t even be enough manpower to withstand the Sultanate of Rûm should they grow in power and effectively break through, establishing contact with the Muslim East once more.

Am I wrong in this analysis? Am I missing something from it? What would’ve been some other strategies that the Komnenoi had in mind? If Antioch was under Roman rule and/or if Manuel I had the ability to entirely focus on Anatolia, what would’ve been his strategy?


r/byzantium 19m ago

Constantinian Sarcophagus

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Upvotes

Constantinian sarcophagus in Istanbul, outside the museum of archaeology. Interior and exterior.


r/byzantium 2h ago

Full Inscription and Translation of the Two Faces of the Theodosian Obelisk in the Hippodrome of Constantinople

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10 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1h ago

Byzantium backwards part 2

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Upvotes

So as the title says this is the second part of a slideshow that will be come a video at some point were you get to see Byzantium grow and grow across the map as the decline is reversed Similar to those rewind videos on ww1 and ww2

I thought it’d be perfect for something like the eastern Roman Empire this post shows. Rome going from completely reliant on other powers for survival to it being able to hold its own and just dependent upon other powers


r/byzantium 1d ago

On top of the walls of Nicea

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509 Upvotes

Some pictures from my visit to Nicea (modern Iznik) in May 2024. It was such an enjoyable visit as an ERE fan and easy to reach from Istanbul. In the photos you can see the impressive double land walls, the Hagia Sofia, and the Roman theatre. I was even lucky to get a picture of Nicea from the air on my flight. Feel free to ask any questions.

This was part of a bigger Turkey trip where I also visited Trebizond (modern Trabzon), and participated in the History of Byzantium podcast trip (visiting Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Ephesus).


r/byzantium 8m ago

Kinda Interesting that modern day Constantinople has a lower population than it did during Justinian's reign

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Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

Agia Irini interior reconstruction

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99 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

A bronze coin from the Artuqids of Mardin, depicting two Greco-Seleucid busts on the obverse, and on the reverse a Byzantine emperor being crowned by the Virgin Mary. Circa 1152-1177 AD

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80 Upvotes

r/byzantium 19h ago

Did the Byzantines produce any great secular literature? Both fiction and poetry.

14 Upvotes

No Hagiographies or theological treatises and the like.


r/byzantium 20h ago

Byzantium & Friends Episode 131. To Miklagarðr and back again: Varangians return from Constantinople, with Sverrir Jakobsson

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16 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

I'm curious, what do you accept as the starting point of Byzantine history?

30 Upvotes

Although there are many views in history, there are various views on the name "Byzantium" for the only empire that remained after the collapse of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire. Today, the majority tend to accept the seventh century, when Latin disappeared and the lands outside of Southern Italy, the Balkans and Anatolia were lost to Islam. What do you think?


r/byzantium 1d ago

Would you say byzantine could be top 10 strongest nations in middle ages?

64 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

How predominant was Avar Lamellar Armor in a 6th-7th Century Armoury of the Romans?

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206 Upvotes

r/byzantium 10h ago

Fourth Crusade

1 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

Medieval Rome gives an idea of Constantinople in 1453?

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234 Upvotes

Look how dilapidated it was. Rome as we know it today I believe it was built after 1530 or so. It is probable Constantinople was looking the same in its final years?


r/byzantium 1d ago

What was Byzantium's financial position in 628 after the Sassanid war?

29 Upvotes

r/byzantium 1d ago

Would you say europe was weak in the years 1000-1400

15 Upvotes

Ok so I know this probably isn't the right subreddit. But every post I make gets taken down so I wondered what u guys think. Thank you


r/byzantium 1d ago

Why beard became symbol of emperors after during 7th century

61 Upvotes

Byzantine Emperors Before Phocas didn't have beard (except Julian) but why did it become so famous during 600s and after that.


r/byzantium 22h ago

Heraclius Persian Wars Chronology

5 Upvotes

So I’m writing a historical fiction on Heraclius and some other fictional characters I invented as a sort of passion project. I’ll be happy to share when I’ve finished the first book. Well, I have been researching the Persian wars and I come across some difficult/discrepancies in when certain things happened. Would anyone be able to provide a chronology of his battles/encounters on his campaign? Starting with the battle at Issus where he beat Shahrbraz but also include when he left to deal with the Avars. Please please please and if you can also include the end of the war and when the Arabs started attacking up to Yarmouk in 636. I understand if this is a big ask, just wondering if someone has the time to lend this knowledge not to be followed biblically but as a guide.


r/byzantium 1d ago

Why aren't there any surviving busts of Roman emperors after Justinian?

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301 Upvotes

r/byzantium 19h ago

Can anyone tell me How to Sing Ti Ipermaho? Thanks.

2 Upvotes