Greetings all, 

 

In the news, a Byzantine era church, built on the site of an ancient Roman wine press has been discovered in northern Jordan: 

 

https://greekreporter.com/2026/09/04/archaeologists-uncover-byzantine-wine-press-church-jordan/

 

Discoveries at the site, called Khirbet Qabla, have also included tombs. Interestingly it is being used as a site to train archaeology students, so excavations are ongoing!

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we celebrate the Byzantine victory at the Battle of Lalakon, fought between Byzantine and Arab forces on September 3rd in 863 AD: 

 

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

 

Abbasid Caliphate forces had invaded northern Turkey, and reached the Black Sea. The Byzantines marshaled their forces and encircled the Arab army near the river Lalakon. The Byzantine forces were victorious and the Arab emir was killed.

Eastern Rome was  thereafter able to mount a counteroffensive across the border. The Byzantine victories were decisive and paved the way for the Empire's ascendancy in the East, and the generals that won the victory were granted a triumphal entrance into Constantinople.

 

There should be cake!  :)

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org 

 

 

 

Greetings all, 

 

Today we commemorate the Western Emperor Constantius III  who ruled from February 8th to September 2nd in 421 AD: 

 

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

 

He had been magister militum under Emperor Honorius.  He led campaigns against various barbarian groups in Hispania and Gaul, and recovered much territory for the Empire. He was named co-Emperor by Honorius but died (apparently of natural causes) after ruling for only 7 months.

 He passed in the city of Ravenna. His wife and young son afterward went to Honorius' court in the Eastern Empire, and the child grew up to later be the Western Emperor Valentinian III.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate the life of the Empress Theodora Porphyrogenita, who ruled in 1042 AD, and again from January 11, 1055 AD to August 31st in 1056 AD:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodora_(11th_century)

 

She was the daughter of Constantine VIII and was the younger sister of the Empress Zoe. Theodora only became involved in politics in her later years and was sole Empress (and a strong ruler) for 16 months until this day. She was the last ruler of the Macedonian line which had ruled Byzantium for 200 years.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we reflect on the life of Theodoric the Great, the King of the Ostrogoths who reigned from 471 AD to August 30th in 526 AD:

 

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

 

Theodoric was a hostage in Constantinople as a youth, where he received an education and learned to write. Although he was later often in hostilities with the Empire he was also made a Roman Patrician and served as Consul. He was allied with the Emperors Zeno and Justin I and for some years had good relations with the Senate. His people were Romanized and he allowed Romans to live in the West under their own laws.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org 

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

Today we reflect on the fall of the Byzantine city of Melite (on the island of Malta) to Islamic forces on August 29th in 870 AD:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Melite_(870)

 

The siege likely lasted for months.The Maltese islands had been part of the Roman world since the Republic, and the Byzantine empire since 535 AD. It remained in Arab hands from 870 until 1091 when the island was invaded by the Normans and became part of the Kingdom of Sicily.

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org 

 

 

 

Greetings all, 

 

In the news, an interesting article about the ancient Byzantine ivory "Throne of Maximian": 

 

https://greekreporter.com/2026/08/24/throne-maximian-byzantine-imperial-control/

 

It really dates from the reign of Emperor Justinian I and was a gift from Justinian for (and message to!) the city of Ravenna.  This ornate throne is a fascinating object with a story unfamiliar to many, so great to see it in the news! 

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org