Greetings all,

Today we reflect with sadness on the Byzantine defeat at end of the Siege of Bari on April 15th in 1071 AD:

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

The city of Bari in Apulia was the last Byzantine possession in Italy. The siege by the Normans had begun on August 5th in 1068, and on this day the city was surrendered to Robert Guiscard. This ended the 536 year long Byzantine presence in Italy. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

 

Today we reflect with sadness on the Latin crusaders taking the last parts of Constantinople on April 13th in 1204 AD:

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

They had breached the seaward walls at the Golden Horn the day before. Once they were inside the walls it was impossible to hold them from capturing the remainder of the city. This temporarily ended Byzantine rule in the city for the next half century.

In the wake of this event the Byzantines established the Despotate of Epirus, the Empire of Nicea, and the Empire of Trebizond which lasted until 1479, 1264, and 1461 respectively. This resourcefulness became proof that the Byzantine Empire can always be continued. 

 

 -Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we commemorate Anthemius being raised as Emperor of the West on April 12th in 467 AD:

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

Antheimius was born in Constantinople to a noble family. He served both as Consul and Magister Militum, and was appointed as Caesar of the West by the Eastern Roman Emperor Leo I. Anthemius being raised to Emperor in the West was celebrated with a public panegyric. He was successful in battle against both the Ostrogoths and the Huns, and is considered by many to have been the last capable Western ruler. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we commemorate John II Komnenos on the anniversary of his passing on  April 8th in 1143 AD: 

 

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

 

He was cut by a poisoned arrow in a hunting accident on April 1 and died of infection. He is considered the best of the Komnenos emperors, having done much to help Byzantium recover from the disastrous battle at Manzikert.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we commemorate with sadness the beginning of the final Siege of Constantinople on April 6th in 1453 AD:

 

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

 

At the beginning of the siege, Mehmed sent out some of his best troops to reduce the remaining Byzantine strongholds outside the city of Constantinople. The fortress of Therapia on the Bosphorus and a smaller castle at the village of Studius near the Sea of Marmara were taken within a few days.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

On this day, March 28th in 364 AD, Emperor Valentinian I appointed his brother Flavius Valens as Emperor of the East:

 

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

 

This was done at Hebdomon, before the Constantinian Walls. Valens is considered by some to be one of the last true Roman emperors. Sadly he was not a successful military commander and was killed at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD due to not waiting for support from Valentinian I.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

Greetings all,

In the news, an article about the discovery of a Byzantine era shipwreck off the coast of Greece:

https://greekreporter.com/2025/03/22/amphorae-recovered-ancient-byzantine-shipwreck-greece/

Shockingly, amphorae have been found. Who would have thought?   :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we commemorate the life of the Empress Theodora, the wife of Romanos I Lekapenos who passed on February 20th in 922 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_(wife_of_Romanos_I)

She came from humble origins so she was amazing enough to catch the eye of the Emperor. Theodora and Romanos I had five children, three of which became co-Emperors, one a Patriarch, and two Empress Consorts. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

In the news, a nice article on the collection and translationof ancient Byzantine spiritual texts known as the Philokalia:

https://greekreporter.com/2025/02/17/greek-monk-byzantine-texts-philokalia

These ancient texts were translated by a monk at Mount Athos called Nicodemus, (born 1749 AD) who undertook a lifetime of compiling, and translating so that the spiritual wisdom of the Empire would be preserved. A fascinating story!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

 

Today we commemorate the life of the Emperor Theodosius I who passed on in 395 AD:

 

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

 

 He was in the city of Milan. Theodosius left his son Arcadius (18 at the time)  to rule in the East, and his son Honorius (age 10) to rule in the West.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate the passing of the Emperor Heraclius on  February 11th in 641 AD:

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

He is best remembered for his military victories which returned the True Cross to Jerusalem. As Edward Gibbon said of him:

"Of the characters conspicuous in history, that of Heraclius is one of the most extraordinary and inconsistent. In the first and last years of a long reign, the emperor appears to be the slave of sloth, of pleasure, or of superstition, the careless and impotent spectator of the public calamities. But the languid mists of the morning and evening are separated by the brightness of the meridian sun; the Arcadius of the palace arose the Caesar of the camp; and the honor of Rome and Heraclius was gloriously retrieved by the exploits and trophies of six adventurous campaigns. [...] Since the days of Scipio and Hannibal, no bolder enterprise has been attempted than that which Heraclius achieved for the deliverance of the empire."

Even today he is remembered with both pride and tratitude, so let our reflections be happy ones of his victories and amazing story!

Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

I'm pleased to announce an upgrade to the Byzantium Novum Church forum!

The Church Forum Main Page at: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumChurch  now has a much better description of the group content, and a new main Forum image.  

Hopefully this will attract new people browsing Groups.io, as well as encourage topics of Orthodox Christianity discussion that all can participate in!  :)

These Group home pages are surprisingly important. They are not only the main info and the place where the list archives are found, there are also other page resources linked there as well. Our goal is to make Byzantium Novum's Church forum more active and this upgrade will hopefully help.

Hope to see you there!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we commemorate Alexios V. Doukas becoming Emperor on February 5th in 1204 AD:

 

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

He reigned only two months during the second and final siege of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.

This desperate struggle to strengthen and defend Constantinople would make an amazing historical novel or movie. It was noble, exciting and tragic at the same time. Even some hope at the end as Byzantium continued through it's successor states and would again retake the City later on...

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we celebrate the birth of Queen Helena Palaiologina in the city of Mystras, on February 3rd in 1428 AD:

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

She was  Queen consort of Cyprus and Armenia, titular Queen consort of Jerusalem, and Princess of Antioch. As Queen of Cyprus she welcomed many refugees after the Fall of Constantinople.

There should be cake!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

Mezazon, Byzantium Novum

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

For those that are interested in the Greek language, an interesting article about why Greek inscriptions and such had no word spacing or punctuation, and were written in all capital letters:

https://greekreporter.com/2025/01/28/ancient-greek-writing-without-spaces-lowercase-letters/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GR+News+Daily+img

A helpful piece for anyone who has wondered about ancient Greek writing!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

Today we reflect on the passing of the Emperor Theodosius on January 17th in 395 AD:

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

He was 48, and his death signaled the final break between the Eastern and Western Empires. He was succeeded by his two sons - Arcadius in the East, and Honorius in the West. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

Today we commemorate with sadness the fall of Rome to the Ostrogoths under their leader Totila on January 16th in 550 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Rome_(549-550)

After a long siege the Isaurian garrison was bribed to open the gate. Admittedly it's understandable as Justinian hadn't paid the garrison in years, so their choice was money and life or an unpaid death.

The Ostrogoths controlled Rome until their defeat in the Battle of Taginae in 552 AD, when the Empire regained Rome again. The city remained under Eastern Roman control until the 8th Century AD when it fell to the Lombards.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we reflect on the passing of Theophylact, the son and co-ruler of Emperor Michael I on January 15th in 849 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophylact_(son_of_Michael_I)

He and his father had been exiled to Plate Island in 813 AD after being deposed in a revolt led by Leo the Armenian. Theophylact had entered a monastery under the name Eustratius.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this Day we celebrate the birth of the Emperor Constantine VI on January 14th in 771 AD:

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

He was the final ruler to have any recognition as Emperor of both Western and Eastern Rome, even though it the West it had long been by title only. After his deposition the papacy crowned Charlemagne as Emperor of the Romans in the Western territories.

(Note, his day of birth is not listed on his entry, but is recorded in the entry of his mother the Empress Irene.)

There should be cake!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we reflect on Basiliscus being crowned as Emperor on January 12th in 475 AD:

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

He was the Brother of Empress Aelia Verina, the wife of Leo I. Although unsuccessful as a general he managed to seize power in Constantinople from the Emperor Zeno. However his incompetent policies antagonized most of the Imperial court, including his sister. 

When Zeno returned to Constantinople he found virtually no opposition. Basiliscus' supporters abandon him and he was exiled.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings to all in the New Year!

We're starting the year off with a list of the major official forums in Byzantium Novum.  We do recommend these for communication with and within our Micronation so we hope you'll subscribe!  :)

Our main list:  https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovum - This is for official notices, announcements, Citizen discussion, etc.

Bibliotheca Byzantia:  https://groups.io/g/BibliothecaByzantia   - Our list for Byzantine literature, there are many treasures to be found here!  :)

Byzantium Novum Church:  https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumChurch - Our forum for Orthodox Christianity in Byzantium Novum .

Byzantium Novum Classical Religion: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumClassicalReligion - Our forum for the ancient Roman and Greek spiritual traditions.

Byzantium Novum Culture:  https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumCulture - Our official forum for Byzantine Culture - Art, Sciences, Philosophy, Cooking, etc!

Byzantium Novum Hippodrome: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumHippodrome - Our forum for public events and games - virtual chariot racing, and more!

Byzantium Novum Micronation: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumMicronation - Our forum for Micronationalism, and Byzantium Novum as a Micronation.

Byzantium Novum Militarium: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumMilitarium - Our forum for Byzantine Military History, Discussion and Military Reenacting.

Byzantium Novum Newsletters: https://groups.io/g/ByzantiumNovumMilitarium - The place where The Basilica, our official newsletter, is available!

Byzantium Novum New Citizens: https://groups.io/g/ByzNovumNewCitizens - Our official forum for new Citizens, and questions.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org