Greetings all,

On this Day we celebrate the first "foundation ceremonies" (Consecratia Deo) for the City of Constantinople, in which Constantine I affirmed it as the new capital of the Empire on November 26th in 328 AD:,

https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/constantine-i-great-roman-emperor

Constantine allowed Imperial astronomers to cast horoscopes for the city, and allowed Classical priests to perform their rites. This was apparently a precursor to the official "dedication" of Constantinople which happened on May 11th in 330 AD.

There should be cake!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this Day we commemorate with sadness the passing of the Emperor Valentinian I on November 17th in 375 AD:

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

He was the brother of the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens. During his reign Valentinian successfully fought the Alamanni, Quadi and Sarmatians. His victory at the Battle of Solicinium and his success in defeating revolts in Africa and Gaul, as well as his building of fortifications and fortresses left him the legacy of being considered the "last great Western Emperor."

-Marcus Cassius Julianus 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this day we commemorate with sadness the passing of the Emperor Justinian I on November 14 in 565 AD:

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

His legacy was truly amazing, from building the Hagia Sophia to retaking parts of the Western Roman Empire. He was canonized as a Saint and his feast day is today.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

It was a busy week and I kind of glossed over the big news of divers finding 50,000 "Roman coins" in a shipwreck. Turns out they were from the 4th century and many were of Emperor Constantine I:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thousands-of-4th-century-bronze-coins-discovered-underwater-off-sardinia-180983206/

 All the coins are in an amazing state of preservation. Only 4 were damaged and even those are still readable. The rest all look like they're "extra fine" so they'll make an amazing museum presentation!  It makes a person want to take up diving lessons... 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

On this day we commemorate the future Empress Zoe becoming the Empress-Consort of Romanos III Argyros on November 12th in 1208 AD:

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

She was a strong and popular Empress who was known for her beauty. She even had a cosmetics laboratory her her palace rooms, and was said to be youthful looking into her 60's.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all 

It seems that the final season of the Netflix show "Vikings: Valhalla" will feature Constantinople:

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/11/11/vikings-valhalla-constantinople/

Shout out to all the Varangians out there. I hope they do it well and it will help bring some attention to the Eastern Roman Empire!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

In the news, a Byzantine era wall may have led archaeologists to the home of the Apostle Peter:

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-11-08/ty-article-magazine/archaeologists-find-site-early-christians-venerated-as-apostle-peters-home/0000018b-ae8c-d3c1-a39b-beedd7520000

The Byzantine construction is a sign that the site was a significant religious site in the early Empire.  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus 

www.byzantiumnovum.org 

 

Greetings all,

On this Day we commemorate the victorious the Battle of Andrassos, fought between Byzantine and Arab forces on November 8th in 960 AD:

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

It was a resounding victory for Byzantine forces led by Phocas the younger. This battle broke the Hamdanid emirate, eventually resulting in the recapture of Antioch, and the vassalization of Aleppo. After the battle a triumph was held in the Hippodrome in Constantinople.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this day we commemorate the birth of Emperor Constans II on November 7th in 630 AD:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constans_II

There should be cake!  :)

Constans II was the last Emperor to serve in the office of Consul, although the office continued to exist on record until 886 AD. In 663 he  visited Rome for 12 days and was the first Eastern Emperor to have visited there since 476 AD.

The first Byzantine Themes were created during the rule of Constans II; a system we have revived here for our local groups in Byzantium Novum!  

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

New on Youtube - one of the best videos on Byzantium I've seen: "Why is Byzantium Not Popular?":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTXTRbtKWoE

Well done, and there's even hope at the end...  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

In the news - a Byzantine era sundial calendar which was a masterpiece of mathematics and astronomy for the time: 

https://greekreporter.com/2023/11/02/byzantine-sundial-calendar-antikythera-mechanism/

It was created some time between 400 and 600 AD, and could tell the time in 16 different locations across the Roman Empire. It could also place the positions of the sun and moon, and calculate the lunar phase. 

An amazing technological artifact! 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this Day we commemorate the passing of John III Doukas Vatatzes, the Emperor of Nicea on November 4th in 1254 AD:

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

John III Doukas was a successful general and Emperor who set the groundwork for the Byzantine recovery of Constantinople. He was later canonized as a Saint and his feast day is today. His relics were said to have been moved to Constantinople and guarded by a family of crypto-Christians, and he awaits the liberation of the City to this day.

So...

"I'll be back."

-Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes

:)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

On this day we reflect on the passing of the Emperor Constantius II on November 3rd in 361 AD:

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

He passed away from a fever in the city of Mopsuestia in Cicilia (Anatolia, Turkey). He was leading his legions to join battle with the forces of his young cousin Julian who he had named as Caesar of the West, after the Western legions had proclaimed Julian the Western Emperor.  On his deathbed Constantius II was baptized, and declared Julian to be his rightful successor. This left Julian II as Emperor of both the Eastern and Western empires.

 

 -Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

In the news, a very good article on the Byzantine Saint Porphyrius, who brought Christianity to Gaza in 395 AD:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/30/saint-porphyrius-christianity-gaza/

I was unfamiliar with this story, and was fascinated to learn about it!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this day we reflect on the start final invasion of the Roman Emperor by the Alemanni on January 2nd in 365 AD:

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

The Alemanni had previously been defeated by the Emperor Julian in campaigns during the years 357, 358, 359, and 360 AD and had signed treaties of peace. After this new incursion into Roman territory they were later defeated in the Battle of Solicinium by the Emperor Valentinian I. This was their last invasion of Rome, and in 496 they were absorbed into the Carolingian Empire.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus