ἀνθρώποισι πᾶσι μέτεστι γινώσκειν ἑωυτοὺς καὶ σωφρονεῖν.
In the late twelfth-early thirteenth century, the Byzantine Empire experienced one of the most complicated periods in its millennial history. Its foreign relations were particularly difficult. Continue reading “The Roman Empire (“Byzantium”) under severe political crisis (late 12th-early 13th c.) – War at every front”
Heraclius took over the empire in a state of disorder and confusion. It seemed almost impossible to get things into better order, for resources were wanting. Save Africa and Egypt and the district immediately around the capital, all the provinces were overrun by the the Persian, the Avar, and the Slav. The treasury was empty, and the army had almost disappeared owing to repeated and bloody defeats in Asia Minor. Continue reading “The “New Scipio”; Emperor Heraclius leads his troops further east than any Roman general had ever penetrated – The Nemesis of Chosroes’ blasphemous vanity”
NovoScriptorium celebrates Christmas and shares the best traditional Eastern Roman Christmas carols with its readers! Love, Health, Enlightment, Happiness, Blessings for you all! Christ is born! Continue reading “Eastern Roman Traditional Christmas Carols”
After centuries of denials and evasions, the debate over the nature of Roman identity in Byzantium is finally picking up. The Byzantines’ view of their own Roman identity was a national one, making Byzantium effectively a nation-state. Continue reading “Roman identity in ‘Byzantium’”
Constantinople, posted on the waterway between the continents and guarded by the girdle of its landward and seaward walls, through all assaults remained impregnable. Continue reading “The Eastern Roman Empire – An outline”
Byzantine tendencies toward urbanization and feudalization and the concomitant economic development in the provinces in the eleventh and twelfth centuries certainly affected contemporary culture, although different sectors of society reacted in distinct ways. Ιn Byzantium the peasantry and craft-working classes have left few traces. Continue reading “Popular and Aristocratic cultural trends in the Eastern Roman (‘Byzantine’) Empire”
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