Greetings all,

 

Today we commemorate the life of the Empress Theodora Porphyrogenita, who passed on August 31st in 1056 AD:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_(11th_century)

 

She was the daughter of Constantine VIII and was the younger sister of the Empress Zoe. Theodora only became involved in politics in her later years and was sole Empress (and a strong ruler) for 16 months until this day. She was the last ruler of the Macedonian line which had ruled Byzantium for 200 years.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we reflect with sadness on the Byzantine defeat in the Battle of Manzikert, fought between the armies of Emperor Romanos IV and Seljuk forces on August 26th in 1071 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Manzikert

"The brunt of the battle was borne by the professional soldiers from the eastern and western tagmata, as large numbers of the mercenaries and Anatolian levies fled early and survived the battle. The fallout from Manzikert was near disastrous for the empire, with subsequent numerous civil conflicts and an economic crisis severely weakening the empire's ability to adequately defend its borders. This led to the mass movement of Turks into central Anatolia and by 1080, an area of 30,000 square miles (78,000 km2) had been lost to the empire. It took a decade of internal strife before Alexios I Komnenos (1081 to 1118) brought stability back to the empire."

Interestingly historians now agree that the battle was not the massacre it was once thought to be. While the Byzantines were routed, most military units survived and were fighting elsewhere within a few months. The capture and captivity of Romanos IV seem to have helped turn the battle into legend. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we celebrate the Emperor Julian's victory in the Battle of Strabourg against the Almanni tribes under King Chnotmar on August 25th in 357 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Strasbourg

The Roman forces were heavily outnumbered but won through superior infantry and tactics. This battle allowed Julian to re-establish the Roman forts along the Rhine which had largely been destroyed during the Roman civil war. This protected the province of Gaul from further devastation. Julian had been appointed Emperor of the West by Constantius II and would later become Emperor of the East as well. 

 

 -Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

Today we reflect on the usurper Eugenius being raised as Emperor of the West on August 22nd in 392 AD: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenius

He was elevated to this position by the Arborgast, the Magister Militarium of the Western Empire.  Eugenius was a former Rhetor (teacher) who Arborgast felt would be a candidate acceptable to the Eastern Empire.  

Although Eugenius was a Christian, he appealed to the discontented Pagan factions in Rome. He restored the Temple of Venus and Roma, and also restored the Altar of Victory to the Roman Senate. He was the last Roman to raise Pagan standard in battle. He was defeated by the Emperor Theodosius I after half his troops defected to the other side the night before the battle of of  Frigidus in 394 AD. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate the Emperor Tiberious II Constantine who passed on this day -  August 14th in 582 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_II_Constantine

Tiberius II worked to restore the empire after the generally unpopular reign of Emperor Justin II. He fought both the Persians and the Avars, and also made efforts to strengthen remaining Byzantine territory in the west.  Certainly a reign worth some positive reflection!  

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this day we reflect on the death of the Western usurper / Emperor Magentius on August 11 in 353 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnentius

He had been the commander of the Imperial guard, who had proclaimed him Emperor after becoming disillusioned with the Emperor Constans. He quickly gained control over Western and African territories. Magentius was defeated by Constantius II, first at the Battle of Mursa Major, and again in the Battle of Mons Seleusus where he fought bravely but was finally forced to fall on his sword to avoid capture. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this Day - August 10th in 1030 AD, the Battle of Azaz fought between the armies of Romanos III and the Mirdasid Emirate of Aleppo ended with a Byzantine defeat:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Azaz_(1030)

Romanos III insisted on leading the Byzantine army even though he had no military experience, and refused Arab peace envoys and even a Mirdasid offer to pay tribute. The Arab forces were much smaller but consisted mostly of Bedouin cavalry, which were able to destroy a Byzantine reconnaissance force and then harass the Imperial camp. Cut off from foraging supplies the Byzantines suffered from thirst and hunger. They were later attacked while trying to withdraw, and the withdrawal turned into a rout. Romanos III only barely managed to escape through the intervention of his bodyguard.

In retrospect, he probably should have accepted the peace and tribute. Obviously the Romans had forgotten the old lesson of Crassus' desert defeat at Cannae!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus