Greetings all,

Today we reflect on Charlemagne being crowned "King of the Franks" on October 9th in 768 AD:

 

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

 

This began the path to the Holy Roman Empire. The Frankish Kingdom had retained much of it's Gallo-Roman heritage, and had preserved the last Western Roman "rump state" in the Kingdom of Soissons. Charlemagne's career would give some shadow of Roman identity back to the West, although he was never recognized by the Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople.

 

The Holy Roman Empire is often dated from 800 AD. This means the Eastern Roman Empire lived with the Holy Roman Empire longer than it did the Western Roman Empire as a separate entity. Amazing! 

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this Day we commemorate the Battle of Cibalae, fought on October 8th in 314 AD  between the forces of the Emperor Licinius and Constantine I:

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

The forces of Constantine had the high ground but had to venture downward to make use of cavalry. Although Licinus had secured his flanks well, a charge led by Constantine himself broke through the lines, and the forces of Licinius were routed. He was able to withdraw however, and fled first to Sirmium to gather more troops and his treasury, and then moved to Thrace.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we reflect with sadness on the Byzantine defeat against Slavic forces in the Battle of Bar, fought on October 7th in 1042 AD:

 

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

 

The Byzantine army had moved to suppress a Slavic revolt, but was trapped in mountain passes. The result was a byzantine defeat with great losses.

 

Contemporary Byzantine historian John Skylitzes described the encounter:  ""It is said that the Serbs had deliberately let them enter [Duklja], while he [Michael] took no care about their return, nor did he leave sufficiently strong guard in the gorges. After the incursion, he plundered and burned plains, while the Serbs took and kept the gorges and steep places along the road and waited for the return [of the Byzantine army]."

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we celebrate the life of the Empress Aelia Eudoxia who ruled from the 27th of April, 395 AD to October 6th in 404 AD:

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

She was the wife of the Emperor Arcadius and the mother of future Emperor Theodosius II. As Empress Aelia Eudoxia was active and influential in court and in the church. She was depicted on coinage, a statue of her was erected on a column of Imperial Porphyry, and Arcadius renamed the town of Selymbria to Eudoxiopolis in her honor.  She was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles in a porphyry sarcophagus.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 Greetings all,

Today we celebrate  Heraclius being crowned as Emperor on October 5th in 610 AD: 

 

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

 

He and his father had been in revolt against the Emperor Phocas. Heraclius was crowned Emperor as he approached Constantinople, and after entering the city the Excutibors (Imperial Guard) deserted Phocas and joined him.

 

There should be cake!

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we reflect on the ending of the Byzantine-Venetian war on October 4th in 1302 AD:  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine–Venetian_War_(1296–1302)

 

In that year a fleet of 28 Venetian galleys sailed to Constantinople and flogged captives within sight of the city walls. The incident induced the Byzantines to propose a peace treaty. Venice returned most (but not all) of the islands captured during the conflict and Byzantium agreed to pay for Venetian losses incurred in 1296.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate Heraclius the Elder taking power from the Emperor Phocas in the culmination of the Heraclian revolution on October 3rd in 610 AD:

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

Heraclius had been the Exarch of Carthage during the ruinous reign of the Emperor Phocas, and finally rose into rebellion. He cut off the grain supply and with his brother Gregorius sailed to Constantinople. Upon entering the city on this day he was greeted by the people as their deliverer.

 

His son, Heraclius the Younger was crowned Emperor on October 10th.

 

Heraclius the Elder was named a Hero of Byzantium Novum in 2018.  Heraclius the Younger was named a Hero of Byzantium Novum in 2019. 

 

There should be cake!  :)

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus
www.byzantiumnovum.org