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

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we reflect with sadness on the Byzantine defeat in the Battle of Manzikert, fought between the armies of Emperor Romanos IV and Seljuk forces on August 26th in 1071 AD:

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

"The brunt of the battle was borne by the professional soldiers from the eastern and western tagmata, as large numbers of the mercenaries and Anatolian levies fled early and survived the battle. The fallout from Manzikert was near disastrous for the empire, with subsequent numerous civil conflicts and an economic crisis severely weakening the empire's ability to adequately defend its borders. This led to the mass movement of Turks into central Anatolia and by 1080, an area of 30,000 square miles (78,000 km2) had been lost to the empire. It took a decade of internal strife before Alexios I Komnenos (1081 to 1118) brought stability back to the empire."

Interestingly historians now agree that the battle was not the massacre it was once thought to be. While the Byzantines were routed, most military units survived and were fighting elsewhere within a few months. The capture and captivity of Romanos IV seem to have helped turn the battle into legend. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

Greetings all, 

 

Today we commemorate the Emperor Marcian being crowned on August 25th in 450 AD:

 

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

 

He was chosen by the powerful general Aspar and married to Pulcheria, the sister of the late Emperor Theodosius II, to continue the imperial dynasty.  Marcian ended the Empire's crippling tribute payments to Attila the Hun and even launched successful attacks into Hunnic territory.

Domestically, he restored the empire's finances, leaving a full treasury. The most significant event of his rule was convening the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which defined the orthodox Christian doctrine of Christ's two natures, divine and human. 

 

Marcian's reign is often remembered as a period of stability and recovery for the Eastern Empire, standing in stark contrast to the turmoil that was consuming the Western Roman Empire at the same time.

- Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we reflect on the Sack of Rome by the Visigoths on August 24th in 410 AD:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Rome_(410)

 

 This was the first time Rome had been taken by a foreign enemy in 800 years. Although Rome was not the political capital at this time, it was still the Eternal City and this event was a huge cultural shock to the entire Classical world. Imperial buildings at the city center were structurally damaged, Imperial tombs were looted, and even the Emperor's sister, Gallia Placidia was captured. 

 

In spite of all this, the Imperium survived. Power had been shifting to the East for a hundred years, and the Empire would continue - and this event would contribute to the Eastern Roman Empire becoming more important. 

 

- Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org