Byzantine News

Justinian I (482-565) One of the most spectacular features of Justinian's reign was the recovery of large stretches of land around the Western Mediterranean basin that had slipped out of Imperial control in the 5th century. As a Christian Roman emperor, Justinian considered it his divine duty to restore the Roman Empire to its ancient boundaries. Although he never personally took part in military campaigns, he boasted of his successes in the prefaces to his laws and had them commemorated in art. The re-conquests were in large part carried out by his general Belisarius. Bardas Phokas (died 989) In 978 Bardas was delivered from his prison cell by the eunuch Basil Lekapenos, Basil II's uncle and de facto regent. He was dispatched in disguise to his native Cappadocia to stir up the local aristocracy against Skleros, who had revolted against imperial authorities and advanced to the Hellespont. Despite several initial setbacks, and with the assistance of a Georgian ar...

Hyperpyron of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (1118-1180) Hyperpyron of Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118) John III Doukas (1221-1254) Scyphate Electrum Hyperpyron, Andronicus II & Michael IX, (1295-1320)  Constantine VIII (960 – 11 November 1028)

An article from the Greek newspaper Kathimerini:  The Syrian Mosaic Pavement Documentation project, which was signed in 2005, foresaw the full documentation of the country’s floor mosaics and annual education programs for Syrian postgraduate students to help them keep abreast of technological developments. Click here to read more. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter. 

The British Library platform for the study of Greek Manuscripts has been launched. Explore some of the highlights of the British Library's collection items, read articles by leading experts on Greek manuscripts, discover themes running through the collections, and watch videos on key topics. Click here to visit the project.  And don't  forget to sign up for our newsletter.

A detailed account of Basil's reign by Catherine Holmes: For Byzantine and modern historians alike the reign of Basil II marks the apogee of the Middle Byzantine Empire. Between 976 and 1025 Byzantine territorial and cultural frontiers expanded considerably. Bulgaria was annexed in 1018. In the east Basil also absorbed the Georgian princedom of Tao and the Armenian state of Vaspurakan. Towards the end of his reign Byzantine forces became more active in southern Italy, consolidating and expanding Byzantine authority in the face of a variety of powers including the Ottonian emperors of Germany. At the time of his death the emperor was planning to invade Muslim Sicily. It was also during Basil's reign that Vladimir, prince of Kiev, converted to Christianity.[[1]] In later centuries Basil the 'Bulgarslayer' came to be compared with the most prestigious and successful emperors of Late Antiquity. Michael Choniates writing in the early thirteenth century bracketed Basil w...

A New Interface And More Digitized Manuscripts From The Vatican Library

The Rotunda (early 4th c.) The Church of Acheiropoietos (450-470) Hagia Sophia (8th c)