Two Stolen Byzantine Icons Returned to Cyprus After 50 Years
Two stolen 14th-century Byzantine icons depicting Matthew and Mark have been returned to Cyprus after more than 50 years.
Marriage and Family in the Byzantine Empire
Marriage and family were central to Byzantine society, shaping property, inheritance, gender roles, social status, and networks of kinship.
The politics of ignorance between theology and imperial power, with Lea Niccolai
A conversation with Lea Niccolai on the challenge faced by emperors and theologians who claimed authority on the basis of their religious positions while simultaneously admitting that the truth about God lay beyond reach. How did they cope with this self-professed ignorance or deploy it as an asset in polemics, e.g., against heretics who presumed to know too much?
New Medieval Books: Emperors and Imperial Dynasties of Byzantium
This extensive collection of translated texts explores the emperors of Byzantium from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries. Drawing on chronicles, letters and other historical sources, it offers a sweeping tour of Byzantine politics across more than a thousand years.
Symeon the New Theologian: Queer Desire in Devotional Poetry, with Derek Krueger
A conversation with Derek Krueger on homoerotic language and imagery in the works of the eleventh-century writer Symeon the New Theologian. These passages are unusual enough that earlier editors and scholars were made uncomfortable about them. We discuss their devotional context but also the broader context of homoeroticism and homophobia in the monastic world of that time.
The Fall of Constantinople and the Making of a Myth
How the fall of Constantinople in 1453 shaped trauma, myth, Orthodox memory, and the end of the Byzantine Empire.
The Art of the Empire of Nicaea, with Naomi Pitamber
A conversation with Naomi Pitamber about the art and architecture of the empire of Nicaea (Nikaia), the Roman state that emerged in Asia Minor after the disaster of 1204.
Astrology, Omens, and Power in Byzantium
How astrology, omens, and prophecy influenced imperial power, political decisions, and religious belief in Byzantium.
Relics and Rulers: The Politics of Holiness in Byzantium
Saints and relics shaped political authority, religious life, and economic power in the Byzantine Empire.
New Medieval Books: Crusader Principality of Antioch from Bohemond I to Bohemond III (1098-1161)
When it comes to the Crusader States, the Principality of Antioch is often overlooked. This book aims to correct that, offering an in-depth examination of its political history during the first six decades of its existence.
25 Greek Proverbs from the Middle Ages and Beyond
Discover 25 Greek proverbs about life, luck, work, wisdom and human nature, including sayings with roots in the Byzantine and medieval world.
Byzantine Siege Weapons Discovered at the Battlefield of Manzikert
Archaeologists at Manzikert have uncovered 11th-century Byzantine ballista bolt heads linked to the siege that preceded the famous battle of 1071.
From Arab Silver to Byzantine Gold: The Vikings in the East
Follow the Vikings eastward as they sought Arab silver and Byzantine gold, forging trade routes across Eastern Europe and helping shape the world of the Rus’.
World’s Largest Byzantine Studies Congress Coming to Vienna
The world’s largest Byzantine studies congress comes to Vienna this August, bringing together scholars from more than 50 countries.
New Medieval Books: Harald Hardrada
Perhaps the most famous figure of the Viking Age, Harald Hardrada led an eventful life that took him across much of the eleventh-century world. This book recounts his remarkable story while offering insights into the many lands and states through which he travelled.
Food, Feasts, and Fasting in the Byzantine Empire
Explore how food, imperial feasts and religious fasting shaped faith, health, social status and political power in the Byzantine world.
Byzantine Shipwreck with Gold Treasures Discovered off the Croatian Coast
A Byzantine shipwreck off Croatia has revealed gold belt sets, imperial coins and a rare ring linked to the empire’s highest-ranking officials.
How the Normans Fought the Byzantine Empire
Explore nearly two centuries of warfare between the Normans and the Byzantine Empire, from southern Italy to the Balkans.
Heresy and Orthodoxy in the Byzantine Empire
Discover how the Byzantine Empire defined orthodoxy, confronted heresy, and used councils, theology, and imperial power to defend Christian unity.
The Emperor as God’s Representative: Political Theology in the Byzantine Empire
Discover how Byzantine emperors ruled as God’s representatives, shaping politics, religion, and imperial authority through the empire’s unique political theology.
More Numerous Than the Grains of Sand: How Byzantium Supported the First Crusade
Tens of thousands of crusaders crossed Byzantine territory on their way to Jerusalem. Marek Meško reveals how Byzantine logistics and supply networks helped make the First Crusade possible.
The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and Imperial Eschatology, with Chris Bonura
A conversation with Christopher Bonura about the apocalyptic tradition of identifying the Four Kingdoms prophesied in the Book of Daniel. Which one was the Roman empire? The fourth, scheduled to fall with the others, or something that came afterward (a tradition sometimes called imperial eschatology)? Among other topics we discuss Eusebios of Caesarea and the reign of Herakleios as possible turning points in this tradition.
Effeminate Greeks or Sophisticated Romans? The Western View of Byzantium
Western Europeans often portrayed the Byzantines as deceitful, weak, and overly luxurious, dismissing them as “Greeks” rather than true Romans. Michael Goodyear writes on how behind these stereotypes stood one of the Middle Ages’ most sophisticated and resilient empires — a civilization that preserved ancient knowledge, amassed immense wealth, and defended Europe for centuries.
New Medieval Books: The Philokalia
This collection of texts may date from the eighteenth century, but the works it contains are all medieval in origin. Together, they offer a diverse glimpse into the Eastern Orthodox tradition that shaped the religious life of the Byzantine world.