Greetings all,

In the news, the discovery of a Byzantine era abbey in Ordu, Turkey which is located on the coast of the Black Sea:

https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/archeologists-discover-byzantine-abbey-in-ordu-186812

There seems to be very little Byzantine information on Ordu, even though it was part of the Empire for centuries. Wikipedia skips over the Byzantine period completely in its historical summary of the town, and I could find little other information elsewhere. Hopefully the discovery of this abbey will bring more attention to this part of the Empire.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this day 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.

Some historians date the resulting Holy Roman Empire from 800 AD. As I type this I realize that 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

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

On this day we reflect on the walls of Constantinople being severely damaged by an earthquake on October 6th in 447 AD:

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

Large parts of the structure including 57 towers were lost. Emperor Theodosius II ordered Constantine, the praetorian prefect of the East to supervise repairs. He employed the city's demoi (circus factions) in the the work and rebuilt the walls with in 60 days.

Go Greens! Go Blues!  :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

 

On this day we commemorate Heraclius the Elder taking power from the Emperor Phocas in the culmination of the Heraclian revolt 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

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

On this day we reflect on the crowning of the Emperor Theophilos on October 2nd in 829 AD:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophilos_(emperor)

He was the son of Emperor Michael II and was the last Byzantine Emperor to support Iconoclasm. Although he was a brave man who led his own armies against the Arabs, his overall lack of success seemed to be final proof that iconoclasm was no guarantee of divine military favor. 

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 Greetings all,

In the news, an interesting article about the Via Egnatia, the road which connected Rome to the city of Byzantium:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/30/ancient-road-rome-byzantium/

It was a continuation of the Appian Way and the first road the Romans built which led out of Italy.

(Spoiler alert, eventually it ended up leading to Constantinople... )   :)

-Marcus Cassius Julianus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings all,

In the news, a previously unidentified ancient Greek city has been found:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/30/lost-ancient-city-found-serres-greece/

The city was in northern Greece and occupied until the 6th Century AD. Two Byzantine churches have been identified on the site. Archaeology will be ongoing and there is hope the name of the City will be discovered in inscriptions.

-Marcus Cassius Julianus