Greetings all,

Today we celebrate the crowning of Majorian as Emperor of the West on  December 28th in 457 AD:

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

Majorian was recognized as Emperor of the West by Constantinople, and he and Emperor Leo I were jointly made consuls at this time.  

 

Majorian was a successful commander who retook most of the Province of Gaul for Rome, and the historian Gibbon Majorian "presents the welcome discovery of a great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to vindicate the honour of the human species".

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this day we celebrate the anniversary of the completion of the Hagia Sophia on December 27th in 537 AD:

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

The Hagia Sophia was inaugurated on this day by the Emperor Justinian and Patriarch Menas with grand official ceremony and celebration. :)

There should be cake!

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

Merry Christmas to all in Byzantium Novum!  :)

In Byzantium today was a day of religious celebration, where the Emperor would again make a procession from the palace to the Hagia Sophia. The day would begin with an informal breakfast, after which the Emperor would begin the procession from the palace. 

He would greet the leaders of the Blues and Greens, the Senate, and Magistrates along the way, awarding customary monetary stipends to each. Each office received a set amount of money (so there could be no unfairness or jealousy) and formal traditional greetings were given. The procession would grow behind the emperor. When the group arrived at the Hagia Sophia the Emperor would be greeted by the Patriarch and the would enter the church for the Christmas service. 

After the ceremonies at the Hagia Sophia there would be public feasting, so it was a grand day for all. 

I hope all are having a wonderful day, and we can all look forward to the New Year!  

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Emperor Diocletian on December 22 in 244 AD:

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

 

As Emperor he was the first to divide the Roman Empire between East and West, setting the stage in which the Eastern Roman Empire began its unique history.

There should be cake!  :)

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

On this day we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Manuel III of Trebizond on  December 16th in 1364 AD:

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

He was the son of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond and EmpressTheodora Kantakouzene. During Manuel III's reign Trebizond was under great danger from the Ottoman Empire. However Manuel III's victory over the Turko-Mongol forces of Tamerlane at the Battle of Ankara removed that threat.

Manuel III was able to ensure the safety of Trebizond for several more decades through diplomacy with the Turkmen.

There should be cake!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today  we celebrate General Belisarius' victory over the Vandals  in the Battle of Tricamarum on December 15th in 533 AD:

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

The battle was fought in Northern Africa and effectively ended the power of the Vandals. North Africa and shortly after all other Vandal territory soon came under Roman rule. 

This was of course not the end of nuisance crime such as painted graffiti, etc. however.  That's the other vandals.  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we reflect on Emperor Michael of Trebizond being deposed on this Day - December 13th in 1349 AD:

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

His rule had been unsuccessful and he was in ill health. He was forced to abdicate in favor of John VI Kantakouzenos, the son of Emperor of Trebizond Basil Megas Komnenos, who arrived from Constantinople and was crowned on December 22 as Emperor Alexios III.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 Today we commemorate the Emperor Julian entering Constantinople as sole Emperor on December 11th in 361 AD:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_(emperor)

As Caesar of the West he had been victorious against Alemanni invasions in Gaul and had been proclaimed Augustus by his troops. His uncle the Emperor Constantius II considered this rebellion and was en-route from the East with his armies, but fell ill and proclaimed Julian sole Emperor before he passed. Religious controversies aside, Julian was a competent administrator and reformed many court excesses which had existed under the previous Emperor. 

 -Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this day we commemorate with joy the anniversary of General Belisarius entering the city of Rome during the Gothic War on December 9th in 536 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_War_(535-554)

He entered the city unopposed. The Gothic garrison of Rome had fled fled the city, putting up no resistance to Belisarius and his troops when they entered the Porta Asinaria gate in the Aurelian Walls. This marked the first time Rome was controlled by the Empire in 60 years.

There should be cake!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

In the news, an article about the Byzantine fortress of Monemvasia, which dates from the 4th Century and still has people still living at the site: 

https://www.journee-mondiale.com/en/this-byzantine-fortress-rises-from-aegean-waters-where-30-residents-live-inside-medieval-walls/

If I get one or two billion dollars I'm buying this thing and sticking the Byzantium Novum flag on it. It's literally the *perfect* site for a Byzantine micronation - looks like there's a church already extant, living space, pretty much everything needed. It could be a functioning site for restoring  Byzantine culture and civilization... and promoted properly it'd bring in great tourist revenue for the actual legally owning macronation of Greece as well.  Talk about love at first sight!  :)

Um, if you're reading this and you're secretly fabulously wealthy, come talk to me, haha!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we commemorate Tiberius II being raised as Caesar on December 7th in 574 AD:

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

He was appointed by Emperor Justin II who was having seizures of mental illness. Interestingly there was a plague in Constantinople at the time, and it abated the day after Tiberius II was raised to be Caesar. That had to have been seen as a good omen which proved to be true enough; Tiberius was a popular ruler, being tall, handsome and having a reputation for kindness and generosity.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we reflect on the life of the Emperor Diocletian on the anniversary of his passing on December 3rd in 311 AD:

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

Diocletian established the tetrarchy and divided the Roman Empire into the Eastern and Western Empires, along with his appointed co-Emperor Maximian. This division would remain for the rest of Roman history and some scholars regard his actions as the start of the Byzantine Empire. Diocletian ruled for 21 years and retired peacefully, which in itself was a major achievement after the crisis of the 3rd Century.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

 

Today we celebrate with joy the birthday of Anna Komnene, on , December 1 in 1083 AD:

 

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

 

Anna was the daughter of Emperor Alexios I. She was a Byzantine princess, scholar, physician and teacher of medicine, hospital administrator, and historian. She authored the book "The Alexiad" which has remained an important historical source throughout the centuries.

 

Happy birthday to Anna... there should be cake!  :)

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus