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Byzantine

Rotunda in Thessaloniki: The Oldest Surviving Church in Greece

The Rotunda, built by Roman emperor Galerius in 306 AD, is the oldest of Thessaloniki's churches and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built at the turning point between the pagan and Christian world, probably as a temple for...

Chanel Brings Byzantine Gold Back for Fall-Winter

As summer comes to a close, the Byzantine aesthetic and its association with opulent gold is one of the continuing inspirations behind recent fashion trends. Chanel just presented its new eyeshadow palette "Byzance" with its shimmering gold colors. None of...

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...

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...

Two Majestic Greek Towns with Historic Castles

Methoni and Koroni, two quintessential Greek seaside towns, are home to Venetian castles, countless pristine sandy beaches, and lush landscapes. The two towns are intertwined in myriad ways although they are approximately a thirty minute drive away from each other,...

Tavuk Gogsu, Kazandibi and its Roman-Byzantine Origins

Tavuk gogsu literally means chicken breast in Turkish. This dessert, which very few people know about and even fewer know how to prepare, is the ancestor of the much more famous Kazandibi. A thick cream made from chicken, milk and...

Ancient Greek Lion from Piraeus Now Adorns Venice’s Arsenal

The story of the Ancient Greek Piraeus Lion, which is now in Venice, is one of several which are part of Greece's long history of ancient sculpted masterpieces -- and their subsequent looting, which has meant that many of...

Why was the Ancient Greek City of Hadrianopolis Abandoned?

Turkish archaeologists believe they will soon solve the mystery regarding the ancient Greek city of Hadrianopolis, located in the Eskipazar district of the Black Sea province of Karabuk, which was mysteriously abandoned. Ibrahim Sahin, the culture and tourism director of...

Digenes Akritas, Hero of the Byzantine Borderlands

Digenes Akritas (Διγενής Ακρίτας) is one of the only surviving epic poems from the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire. It tells the story of the titular character, Basileios, dubbed Digenes Akritas, meaning "two-blood border lord." The epic poem is part of the...

How Byzantine Architecture Influenced the World

Despite relative obscurity in Western historiography, Byzantine architecture has had a profound influence across the world. The Byzantines, also known as the Eastern Romans, developed a distinctive architectural style that has continued to influence construction to this day. Not limited...