Greetings all, 

In the news, an article about Byzantine "minuscule script" and how it revolutionized the preservation of Greek knowledge: 

https://greekreporter.com/2026/10/21/byzantine-revolutionized-greek-writing-minuscule-script/

Its ease of use allowed many more ancient manuscripts to be copied and saved. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

Greetings all, 

In the news, an interesting Byzantine era mosaic in the Church of the Four Rivers in Hadrianopolis,  depicting Garden of Eden mosaics as personified Classical deities: 

https://greekreporter.com/2026/10/15/ancient-byzantine-mosaics-reveal-greek-influence-biblical-garden-eden/

This was an ancient style that was continued through much of the Byzantine era. Even the Byzantine Senate had a personification! This was a classical world means of giving more personal meaning and symbolism to abstract or hard to depict concepts. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

Today we reflect with sadness on the Vandals, led by King Genseric, taking the city of Carthage in North Africa on October 19th in 439 AD:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_Carthage_(439)

  

This was a serious blow to the Eastern Roman Empire as this portion of Africa had been a major source of wheat to the Roman world for centuries. The Empire did manage to retake Carthage in 534 AD.  

 

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

Greetings all, 

In the news, Byzantine jewelry and cosmetic tools have been found in the graves of Avar women in Hungary: 

https://arkeonews.net/byzantine-cosmetic-tools-and-jewelry-found-in-1400-year-old-avar-womens-graves/

The fines date from the 7th century and are an interesting testament to trade and cultural exchange during the period. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all, 

Today we reflect on the Battle of Piacenza in which the forces of Count Ricimer defeated the Western Emperor Avitus: 

 

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

 

Following his defeat Avitus was forced to abdicate. This left Ricimer as the "kingmaker" of the West, effectively ruling through a series of puppet Emperors in the following years. 

 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org 

 

 

Gold solidus coin of Avitus

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate with sadness the invasion of the Roman Province of Hispania by the Vandal and Alan tribes on October 13th in 409 AD:

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

 

In 551 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, part of Hispania would later be briefly re-taken from the Visigoths by an army under the command of Petrus Marcellinus Felix Liberius.This reconquest recovered an area along the Mediterranean coast roughly corresponding to the ancient province of Baetica, known as Spania.

 

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

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 www.byzantiumnovum.org

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

Today we commemorate the Emperor Michael IX Palaiologos who ruled from  May 21st in 1294 AD to October 12, in 1320 AD:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_IX_Palaiologos

 

He reigned from 1277 to 1320 and was co-emperor for most of that time. He was a brave soldier and well liked commander who fought both the Turks and the rebellious Catalan company, although he was defeated by the Catalans in the Battle of Apros. He was the father of Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.

 

 -Marcus Cassius Julianus

www.byzantiumnovum.org