Greetings all,

Although a bit out of our realm, there is currently a petition protesting an "Afrocentric" documentary on Netflix about Queen Cleopatra being produced by Jada Smith, the wife of Will Smith, which is promoting the idea that Cleopatra (of the Ptolemaic Dynasty) was in reality a black woman. An article on the documentary is here:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/04/14/netflix-documentary-cleopatra-greek/

The petition, should anyone care to sign it, can be found here:

https://www.change.org/p/cancel-netflix-s-queen-cleopatra-repost

It seems to me this is much more an issue of bad revisionist history rather than an issue of race. Why anyone would attempt to co-opt the Greek/Egyptian history of the Ptolemaic Dynasty rather than explore and promote the amazing histories of say Nubia, Kush and Akxum as important wonders in their own right is beyond me.

The petition has been raised by both Greek and Egyptian supporters, and has apparently been deleted once already on Change.org. Hopefully being on the "right side of history" in this case means standing up for real history....

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this Day we commemorate the ending of the Ostrogothic Siege of Rome on  March 12th in 538 AD: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Rome_(537-538)

Vitiges, the king of the Ostrogoths retreated to Ravenna, leaving Rome in the hands of the victorious General Belisarius. 

There should be cake!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this day we commemorate the creation of the Codex Theodosianus:

Byzantium Novum YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/zdrPWIePAUw

This was an important compilation and organization of Roman law which formed the basis for legal codes for centuries to come.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

We are celebrating Byzantium Novum's  14th year anniversary!

Here is our 14th Anniversary video: 

Byzantium Novum YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/vIQInMLP7vE

Thanks to all for being here, and looking forward to the next 14 years!   :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

On this date, February 5th in 1204 AD, Alexios V Doukas became Emperor reigning for only two months during the second and final siege of Constantinople:

Byzantium Novum YouTube Video:

 https://youtu.be/SLrgX09VmHI

 

 His heroic last ditch efforts to resist crusader armies was unsuccessful and he was the last Byzantine Emperor to have control of Constantinople for 57 years.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

On this day, February 4th in 634 AD, the Battle of Dathin was fought between Byzantine and Arab forces, resulting in a Byzantine defeat:

Byzantium Novum YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/bUYigTXctQE

After a series of Arab The Byzantine commander (dux and candidatus) Sergius assembled a small detachment of soldiers (due to a shortage of troops), and led that mounted army from his base at Caesarea some 125 kilometers south to the vicinity of Gaza to attack a numerically superior Arab force. Sergius himself was killed, as well as 300 of his soldiers. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

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

Byzantium Novum YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/MWlbA9n-U4c

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