Byzantine Empire
Culture
The Legend of the Last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine Palaiologos
In 1453, the Ottomans seized Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire and the life of its last emperor, Constantine Palaiologos.
Greek News
Armenia’s Contribution to Hellenism and Orthodoxy
The ties of Armenian culture and Hellenism go back at least to the 6th century BC, as a reference to Armenia was made by Greek historian Heracletus of Miletus
Greek church
Saints Cyril and Methodius: Founders of Greek Orthodoxy in Russia, Ukraine
Saints Cyril and Methodius, brothers born in Thessaloniki, were the main influence for establishing Greek Orthodoxy in Slavic nations
History
The Sports Riot That Nearly Destroyed Constantinople in 532 AD
The Greek world has a troubled past of sports riots, particularly with football hooliganism, but this pervasive history goes back further than one might expect, with one instance nearly leading to the destruction of Constantinople and the overthrow of...
Culture
What is Hidden Under Hagia Sophia?
The former Basilica of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (Constantinople) is the undisputed symbolic center of the Greek Orthodox faith, hosting millions of visitors, who are awed by its great religious, historical, and architectural importance, each year.
From 537 to 1453,...
Ancient Greece
The Giant Whale that Terrorized Constantinople
Under Byzantine (Eastern Roman) rule, the inhabitants of Constantinople faced many threats. The Avars, Sassanids, Slavs, Crusaders, and Ottomans all laid siege to the legendary capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
However, there was one threat lurking in the waters...
History
The Byzantine-Arab Frontier was the ‘Wild West’ of the Middle Ages
For centuries the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire stood as Christendom's bulwark against the invasions of the Muslims, first of the Arabs and then of the Turks. Nowhere was this clash between the Muslim and Christian worlds more constantly apparent...
History
The Byzantine General Who Challenged the Emperor
After the tremendously successful reign of Basil II, the eleventh century signaled a turn of fortunes in a far more negative direction for the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, marked by military defeats and decline.
However, George Maniakes, a Byzantine general,...
Art
The Regal Crowns of the Byzantine Emperors
From 330 AD, when Constantine the Great proclaimed his new city the capital of the Roman Empire, the emperors ruled from Constantinople until the city fell in 1453. The modern historiographical term "Byzantines" for the Eastern Roman Empire is...
Environment
Lake Prespa: A Greek Eco Park Steeped in History
The Lake Prespa National Park is a place where nature, culture and history mix in creating a fascinating landmark for visitors of all ages