Tom in San Vitale with Justinian
My name is Tom Sawford and I live in Winchester, Hampshire, England.
In Byzantium, I know that I share with many of you a common passion that includes history, art, culture, the development of Christianity, and a focus on Turkey, a country I have visited often. Byzantium not only has a binding effect for us, but also it brings together a range of people from different backgrounds, and perhaps most importantly offers a common bond for the peoples of Turkey and Europe.
Surprisingly it was former French President Jacques Chirac who first said in November 2004, “We are all children of Byzantium” in connection with Turkey’s application to join the EU. He was addressing a student conference in Marseille, the day after a large demonstration against Turkish membership.
As Professor Judith Herrin said in the 18th Runciman Lecture in London in February 2009 …
“His use of the phrase is interesting on many counts, not least the fact that some Turks are indeed also claiming to be children of Byzantium: They emphasize how firmly the Ottomans maintained imperial traditions into the modern era, preserved Byzantine chancellery habits, tax-keeping methods, and continued the multicultural and polyglot culture of Byzantium. This is claimed in the spirit of inclusivity and cousinhood, not of bickering and competition.
So in addition to the Balkan countries, and states emerging from the Russian and Soviet empires, Georgia and Armenia (distinctly different but orthodox), Syria and Lebanon with their ancient Christian communities, other groups such as the Copts in Egypt, can also claim to be children of Byzantium. In this larger family, Greece is our elder brother and sister. But it is also part of a wider group of siblings that is just beginning to be discovered. By drawing attention to the real, symbolic and imagined children of Byzantium, I think we can expand and enrich our sense of that great civilization.”
I hope that this blog will, in some small way, continue to help our understanding of this wonderful, and often ignored civilisation.
If you would like to help with the blog, contribute an article or anything else, please contact me tsawford[at]btinternet.com.
Tom Sawford
March 2009
Byzantine Blog 
Dear Tom & Kim,
Congratulations on your great undertaking. I’m a huge Byzantium fan and really appreciate to see its treasures being kept alive in blogs like yours. I’m Uruguayan and live here in Montevideo, and one day I hope to be travelling some Byzantine route too. Thanks!
Hey Laura – thanks for your comment on our Byzantine blog. That was so kind of you to say.
I hope that one day you can get to Europe to see some of these wonderful monuments and art. Still, Montevideo sounds pretty cool anyway! Keep in touch.
Tom
Dear Mr. Sawford,
Thank you for including the blog “The Anastasian Wall Research Community” in your blogroll.
This blog is devoted to research related to the documentation and the preservation of one of the most most interesting secular monuments of the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire.
A documentary is being prepared on the history, background and archaeological prospecting of the Anastasian Wall. If you are interested in this project and would like to contribute or donate money to this project or to assist in preservation efforts please contact me at michaelamcadams@yahoo.com This is a labor of love by those who are interested in the promotion and preservation of this incredible architectual monument.
In addition, thank you for reporting and keeping those interested in Byzantine history about on-going activities in this field.
Dr. Michael A. McAdams
Department of Political Science
State University of New York-Fredonia
Fredonia, NY USA
Hello Tom and kim,
I’ve been subscribed to your blog for some months now and am very grateful for it. (I am a Canadian writer who is about to publish a literary nonfiction about my “relationship” with a Byzantine saint. It is a literary project that took me straight back into the church of my childhood, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.) I am about to have a website and blog of my own up and running: is there some way to attach your blogs to it or to direct people to it from my website or vice versa? I’m thinking of calling my blog, My Two Brains, meaning my literary projects divided between Old and New World passions.
BY Z A N T I U M not belongs to the TURKEY TURKS MONGOLS ECC.
… and I don’t think I have said that.
In the interests of free speech I will not ‘spam’ your comment or ‘unapprove’ it. This blog covers a wide range of subjects and issues, and routine censorship has no place here. However, if this starts the sort of debate I have seen on other sites, often between Turk and Greek, that starts to become abusive then I will unhesitatingly remove all related comments.
Hello: I just discovered your website. What a wonderful resource ! And what great photos. I’ve had a long-time interest in the post-Classical/Byzantine period particularly in the field of art history…… just as an amateur. Your pictures of the mosaics of Aquileia are better than anything I’ve been able to find in a book or on the ‘net. I didn’t see the show at the Royal Academy (I live on the other side of the world) but I bought the catalogue and am still working my way through it.
I have one question which you may be able to answer (I’ve never seen reference to it in any of my readings): in many 5th and 6th century mosaics – notably at Ravenna – martyrs, saints, angels, even Christ himself, often have a monogram embroidered on their over-cloak (himation) which sometimes looks like a Greek letter (gamma or zeta), sometimes an ivy-leaf, or sometimes like nothing identifiable at all – do these have any significance? The monogram between the knees of Christ in the apse at San Vitale is so prominent and conspicuous that I thought it must have been put there for a reason. (or perhaps it’s one of those things that will always be a mystery?).
Anyway, I will enjoy working my way through all your links and pages.
Dave
Dave – thanks that really is nice of you to say. I can’t really help with the question, but I have posted on the main page to see if anyone can answer. I will pass on any answers to you. Some nice new pics as well!
Keep reading the blog!
Tom
Hello. I am the president of the Oxford Byzantine Society and we have a blog with information about opportunities, conferences and other upcoming Byzantine Studies related events. Do find us at http://www.oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com.
Best wishes,
Prerona
Prerona – welcome and thank you for getting in touch. I will alert our readers to your existence just in case they have not found you yet. If you could email me any information about events I will happily post them and add to the events page. If you have any articles etc that you would like to submit they also would be very welcome at any time. I will create a link to your site; grateful if you could reciprocate 🙂
Tom
Dear Tom,
I am currently researching for a second series we are making for ITV1 with Sir Trevor MacDonald. You may have been aware of ‘The Secret Caribbean’ that aired last year. We are now finishing work on ‘The Secret Mediterranean’, which includes a section on Byzantine history in Turkey.
During our travels, Sir Trevor visited the Marmaray tunnel under the Bosphorus in Istanbul and examined some of the pottery and other artifacts that have been collected since its discovery. We would like to make sure that our facts are correct, without compromising the impressive scale of the archaeology that is taking place. We were told when we were there that 36,000 pieces have been unearthed so far. Is there any possibility of confirming this or directing me towards somewhere that may provide some concrete figures?
Kind Regards,
Helen Richardson
Helen,
That sounds exciting and thank you for finding us!
Have a look at this article which is recent – 1 Nov http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=yenikapi-excavation-project-postpones-the-opening-of-marmaray-2010-10-29
You could try to get in touch with the chief archaeologist who is Dr Ufuk Kocabaş . Hurriyet Daily News paper who published the article may be able to get you in touch with him. There are loads of Ufuk Kocabaş on Facebook!
The article mentioned ‘more than 35,000’ so what you say sounds right.
A good person to ask about this might be Bettany Hughes. http://www.bettanyhughes.co.uk/
Good luck and if I can help further please ask.
Tom
Dear Tom
I would like to thank you for creating this wonderful blog. It has become a regular stop for me during my internet surfing sessions. I have been fascinated with Byzantine Empire for some years now, and I am constantly searching for news, articles and books about this medieval Roman Empire. Your website is a wonderful resource.
I wonder if you have considered interviewing known Byzantine scholars? People like John Haldon, Judith Herrin, Averil Cameron, Paul Magdalino etc. It would be fascinating to hear them talk about their work and why they became interested in Byzantine history.
Kind regards from Norway
Vidar
P.S.
John Wortley’s translation of Skylitzes is just out. A bit expensive, but highly recommended: http://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Skylitzes-Synopsis-Byzantine-Translation/dp/0521767059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292336506&sr=8-1
Hi,
I love this whole blog! You might be interested in linking to or considering my post on what may lie beneath Hagia Sophia:
http://lpobryan.wordpress.com/
Hi LP – If I may I will repost your article with links to your blog? It might prompt some debate!
Tom
Tom,
Please do repost and link.
I’d be interested to hear views on why there are no underground aspects to Hagia Sophia, that we are currently aware of.
All the best,
LP
Dear Tom,
I’ve found your wonderful blog quite by chance, and was it a happy chance! I plan on becoming a faithful reader, and have a lot of catching up to do!
I wonder if I could ask you about a point of Byzantine-related Ottoman history that is driving me mad. I have trouble locating information on the background of Suleyman Baltoglu. I know, from the works of historians like Runciman, Babinger, and Norwich, that Baltoglu was the son of a Bulgarian boyar, and a convert to Islam. I also know that he served as a diplomat around 1444, fought at Lesbos in 1449, and was governor of Gallipoli/Gelibolu until late 1452. And I know that he was stripped of his rank and all possessions after his naval debacle in April 1453, disappearing without trace afterwards.
What I can’t ascertain is whether he was a devshirme boy (please, pardon my very likely incorrect transcription) or he converted at an adult age, and whether he ever served in the Janissary Corps – which I wonder because, according to Babinger, it was the Janissaries who pleaded with the Sultan for Baltoglu’s life, and his riches were later distributed amongst them.
Sadly, both Babinger and Runciman fail to mention their sources for what little information they provide, and I am really at a loss for further detail.
May I trouble you for some additional information on Baltoglu’s early years and rise, or to point me to some useful resource (considering that I cannot read Turkish)?
Thank you very much in advance for you kind attention,
Chiara Prezzavento (from Italy)
Hi Chiara – I am not sure I can help you with this one. A little too specialised for me. Sorry.
Tom
Chiara might try this Yahoo discussion group:
Email: bulgarian_studies@yahoogroups.com
Or the Moderator:
Email: bulgarian_studies-owner@yahoogroups.com
Thank you, Myrna: I will most definitely try the contacts you suggest. And thank you, Tom: just posting here my question brought up a promising new path to pursue. I love places like your blog, where people with a passion for History can find not only information, but also contacts and stimulating chances.
Chiara
Hi Tom,
thank you, for your detailed blog about Byzantine. Everytime you can use my photo archive. If you need any new, please contact directly me..
with my regards
özgür
http://istanbulstreets.wordpress.com/
Thank you özgür. It has been some time since I caught up with your pictures but I will do so soon. Keep up the great work in your wonderful city.
Tom
Dear Tom,
We are trying to raise money for the completing of the documentary “The Long Anastasian Wall”. We have now launched a fund raising effort on Kickstarter. The link for the Kickstarter page is: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1687680287/the-long-anastasian-wall
This is a non-profit venture whose major concern is raise awareness of this Byzantine architectural monument so that there can be further archeological explorations (including hopefully a LIDAR project), protection, and promotion.
I and the oher members of the production team of the “The Long Anastasian Wall” would greatly appreciate any mention of this effort on Kickstarter.
Regards
Andy McAdams
Good to hear from you. I will put something up on the blog as soon as I can. I will do my best for you, but will be away until mid-Feb, but it will not be forgotten I promise!
Tom
Dear Tom,
I was wondering whether you could put the details of the Oxford Byzantine Society’s upcoming International Graduate Conference on your blog. Anyone can attend, and with 40 speakers from 20 institutions in 12 countries, there will be a lot to listen to. Details can be found here:
http://oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com/international-graduate-conference-2011/
Many thanks,
Prerona
Hello,
I’m trying to get some information about the Pagan Ceremonies in Byzantine. I read about them being banned and all but couldn’t really figure out what they were exactly about. For example when the Column for Constantine was being erected there were mixed ceremonies of christian and pagan traditions. What do you think these would involve?
Dear Tom,
Love your website and especially some of the images and videos!
Just wanted to introduce you to a project we have been doing at the University of Birmingham called the Syropoulos Project: An electronic publication of the translation and commentary of the Fourth Book of Sylvester Syropoulos’ Memoirs.
http://www.syropoulos.co.uk/
The text of Book 4 is available in English and there are comments, images and bibliography to accompany it. Above all Syropoulos’ narration of the journey of the Byzantine delegation to Italy for the Union of the two churches is fascinating!
Hope you will enjoy our website.
Best,
Fotini
Χαίρε άνδρα ρωμαιόφρονα! I just discovered your site and will add it to my faves list. I am also interested in Byzantium or as I prefer to call it Rhomania, the land of the Romaioi. I have recently finished reading the latest books by Anthony Kaldelis, “Hellenism in Byzantium” and the “The Christian Parthenon” and had read in between “Being Byzantine” by Gill Page. I recomend them all.
Dear Tom, if I may,
First let me say, like many others, that I really like your blog and appreaciate greatly its existence! It is a wonderful way to spread info, to connect people interested in and studying Byzantine history and culture, but also it is a nice demonstration of how vivid the community of byzantinists is!
I am not sure if the following information would be interesting for you and your readers, but nevertheless, I decided to share it. I participate in the organization of the Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies Second Graduate Day which is to take place in Budapest in a couple of weeks. A short introduction can be found here (http://cems.ceu.hu/graduateday2011) and soon the program will be uploaded as well.
Again, many thanks for your wonderful blog!
Divna
Divna – sorry I missed this. Just posted some info about this now. A good excuse to visit Budapest. Wish I could go! I hope it is a great success.
Tom
Dear Tom,
I just want to say (as one of the children of Byzantium, since my family migrated from Yugoslavia (Serbian roots, also partial Greek blood. Just like Tsar Ivan III. and Sophia Palailogos’ family if I am not mistaken! to Turkey in the 20th century)) that your blog went right in the top of my bookmarks! There are so few web sites/blogs like yours, which also include current news about the old mighty empire. I thank you for that and wish you endless energy and luck in your life!
Sorry for the first message, I made a typo in the century!
Well, this may be why the Ottoman’s were behind the times by the early 20th century, keeping byzantine culture alive in the modern world doesn’t always adopt as well. Personality what I find interesting is that Constantinople has a lot of modern problems, child Prostiution, street gangs among the circus factions. This is one facet of Byzantine society which fascinates me how different from the modern world but how similar. For Child Prostiution see Novel 14 of the Justinian Code.
Dear Tom & Kim,
I am very impressed by your blog – it is really great! Congratulations! I am an archaeologist in Varna Regional Museum of History (Bulgaria) and I am just crazy about Byzantium and the Orthodox culture. If I can help you somehow it would be a pleasure for me.
All the best!
Vassil
Delighted to stumble across your Byzantine blog,explore its eclectic mix of information and see the “ecumenical” response it is getting from readers. If it is not too late to respond to Dave, who asked last year about the gamma-shaped symbols on draperies, they do indeed represent the Greek letter gamma (and are sometimes called “gammadia”). As the third letter of the alphabet gamma also represents the number three and thus in a Christian context it came to symbolize the trinity.
Some readers who live within reach of London might be interested in a course I am teaching for Birkbeck this academic year called Reading Images: Christian Art in Europe before 1400, which will include a lot of Byzantine material.
Dear Valerie, your last reply really provoked my interest. May I ask you for help with another iconographic problem. It is about the “imperial iconography” of the archangels in the Byzantine art. I have found a lot of information about it but surprisingly something very important is skipped in all the studies: why the archangels who are not rulers but servants and guards in the heavenly court are dressed as emperors. It would make more sense the imperial iconography with all the vestments and insignia to be applied to the image of Jesus Christ, but as you know this is not exactly the case. I suppose that behind this art riddle there is some sophisticated theological idea about the relations between the Celestial Hierarchy and that of the Empire but I still can’t find a good and clear explanation.
Thank you very much in advance for you kind attention
With best regards,
Vassil
(Varna, Bulgaria)
Dearest Tom and Kim:
My name is Raul Garcia and I live in Mexico. It is the first time I visit your blog and found it very interesting and rich in contents; that’s why I wanted to share you the following, hoping to get some help and orientation regarding a very antique and rare silver piece I purchased about 8 years ago in a flea market in downtown Mexico City. The piece has very unique characteristics and particularly, some engravings that I suspect might be Greek in their origin (but since I can’t read them I can’t be sure). The piece depicts (in my humble opinion) some important passages of the Byzantine Empire and I would like to send you some pictures to your consideration, in order to be able to know whether the piece holds some historical value or significance. It would be great to share these pictures with everyone here, hoping to get invaluable opinions and more accurate information regarding this piece. Please let me know how can I send you the pictures.
I thank you so very much for your time and patience and remain very truly yours.
Raul Garcia
Raul – that is quite intersting and we will happily put something on the site and ask for help. There is a Greek diaspora in South America. Perhaps this is how it got there? You can send by emial tsawford [at] btinternet.com
Wow….I just came across your blog, and I am so excited to start delving into the posts here! Thank you for creating and maintaining this site!
Dear Tom
Greetings
Congratulations your site
I Waddah from Jordan would love to communicate with you to exchange information about the ancient monuments in the ancient civilizations because I am very interested in the ancient art I hope you reply
I wish you and your family full health
Hello!
You may find interesting to read the following article about the palindromes that were used by the Byzantium scholars: http://peopleandideas.gr/2012/03/05/palindrome/
Thank you very much,
Phaedra
Hi Tom,
Great site. I’ve been studying Byzantine history for some years now and the site adds interesting facets to my learning. A question for you and the other scholars here: We are planning a vacation this summer, beginning in Prague and then down to Austria and up northwesterly through Germany. Are there sites along that general route that would be must-see destinations for a pilgrim searching out Byzantine history?
Thanks so much!
Waddah – please do get in touch – my email is on the contact page. Looking forward.
Dear Tom:-
We are art book publishers located in New York. We acquired the remaining copies of the Royal Academy catalog BYZANTIUM 330-1453. Our price is only $57.50, much less than offered by Amazon through your store. Perhaps you would like to link to our web-site instead of Amazon’s. Or perhaps you would like to publicize this to the 174 followers of your blog. Here is our link: http://www.riversidebook.com/byzantium.html
best wishes,
Brian Eskenazi
Brian – happy to ‘advertise’ your offering. It will be up on Thursday next. Tom
Alex – I am adding a post tomorrow so keep coming back to see if we get some good suggestions!
Hi guys!
Thanks so much for featuring my post on your blog! I hope you and your readers enjoyed it!
Best,
Marissa
Very much so – I went there in 2005. Wonderful place and your piece put it so well. Tom
Here’s a link to the NY Times’ review of the current Byzantium exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
Hello Tom,
In 2008 I wrote “Byzantine Chants”, sacred concerto for a solo cello. I followed the N. V. Losskyi’s
idea that “The musician, whether a composer or a performer, has to be a theologian”. By means of the genre of the sacred concerto, as a composer, I deduce that the melody of a chant presents the information that is quite real: a melodic word, the musical substance of which can be likened to a live organism. The reason the concerto consists of eight movements related to the fact that the presence of eight chants – I am sure you know it! – was the distinguishing feature of Byzantine church-chanting art.
If you would like to check the music out, please visit my website: http://www.margaritazelenaia.com
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Margarita Zelenaia, composer
Tom,
Very interesting blog with a good collection of material on Byzantium which I am beginning to make my way through. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I have just done a post over on my blog on a little Byzantine church on the Mani that I visited a couple of years ago: http://wordscene.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/a-little-byzantine-jewel/
which may be of interest. I’ve also put a link on my blog roll to your site.
I’m currently planning some further posts on Mystras and on Haghia Sophia and the Chora in Istanbul.
Look forward to keeping in touch.
Peter
Tom,
Just published the first of three planned blog entries on Mystras with my photographs which may be of interest:
Regards,
Peter
Tom,
Just remembered that you are away at the moment. I’ve just published the second of my posts on Mystras, which may be of interest: http://wordscene.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/mystras-last-outpost-of-byzantium-the-palaces-of-the-despot/
Regards,
Peter
Hello Tom!
Your blog has just been brought to my attention by Liz James, Prof. of Art History at the University of Sussex and writer on Byzantine Art. I’ve really enjoyed wandering around your posts and links and would like to encourage all fans of your blog to join the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies (of which I am the Chair). We’re not just for ‘nerdy’ academics!! You’ve very kindly put a link to SPBS on your page (look up to the right, folks!) so nothing could be simpler! We warmly welcome all those interested in Byzantium to our lectures and annual symposium
All best wishes,
Rosemary Morris
Tom,
If you’re at all interested, I’ve been keeping a travel blog this summer, in which I’ve been documenting my attempts to find Byzantium in Italy in art and architecture. I’m currently a student at OSU, getting a PhD in Byzantine History (I just finished my first year). I’d love to hear your thoughts! The address is byzinitaly.blogspot.com
-Frank
Frank – thanks for getting in touch. I thik you are being somewhat disingenuous though: all
your exploits in Italy? 🙂
For sure I will inform people of your travels and blog.
Don’t forget to get up to Grado, Aquileia, Concordia – see my report here https://mybyzantine.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/mosaic-hunting-aquileia-grado-and-concordia/
Also Venice and Torcello island in the lagoon (stunning) – https://mybyzantine.wordpress.com/photographs/venice-torcello/
Ravenna of course, and Sienna – https://mybyzantine.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/the-byzantine-treasury-of-the-hospital-of-santa-maria-della-scala-in-sienna/
I look forward to reading more.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thought you might be interested to see the three posts I have just published with my photographs of Haghia Sophia:
Regards,
Peter
Dear Tom:
I have authored two fictionalized Byzantine biographies. One is of Constantine VI (771 – c 802) who was infatuated with Rhotrud, the daughter of Charlemagne, and who was blinded with the acquiescence of his own mother, the iconodule empress Irene. The other is of Antonina, the liberated wife of Belisarius, so meligned by Procopius. There are fuller descriptions and extended excerpts from these novels on my website: apuleiusbooks.com. Perhaps you would link to my website or publicize them to your readers. If you are interested I would be happy to send you hard copies that you might review them, or decide to market them through your store… but I would need a mailing address. Both are available in print or as ebooks, both from Amazon and my own website.
To help stimulate interest in the empire I have also placed a narrated version of my little Illustrated Guide to Byzantium on Youtube. It can be accessed directly at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCho_8VVaSg or from my website. apuleiusbooks.com.
You or other interested persons can email me directly at belisarius10541@yahoo.com
Sincerely,
Paul Kastenellos
Thanks Peter – very intersting. I have put a link to your site on the links area. Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks very much for the link to my site.
Regards,
Peter
Hello Webmaster,
This is a message from Taiwan.
We are students of the Taiwan University,
and we want to organize a study group of the book “Way of the Ascetics”.
Could we use the icon of “the ladder” on your website to make some DM?
Thank you.
Please go ahead and good luck.
Hello Tom
Wonderful blog – thanks for sharing and getting everyone involved.
I hope you won’t mind if I share my website and cause – to bring 9th Century Byzantium to life through fiction and film, in particular to create a TV series in the spirit of Rome, perhaps called Byzantium (but without werewolves and vampires!).
And for those of you who don’t know – there is talk of a major feature about Constantine the Great: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36555
Achilleas
Hello Tom.
Enjoying your postings, and so happy I stumbled upon your blog.
My girlfriend and I are planning a summer holiday to Slovenia, and I’m keen to know of any ruins or anything else related to Byzantium that might be in the vicinity. It appears by the historical maps I’ve reviewed that the Empire came at least very near the present political borders of Slovenia, occupying the spur of Croatia in the early days.
We also expect to take a quick side trip over to Venice, and I’m sure there will be plenty there to feed my interests.
Many thanks!
Alex – Slovenia is really out of the empire – on the Catholic side of the division of empire. Have a loko at this category https://mybyzantine.wordpress.com/category/byzantine-travel/ and for Venice see my posts in that categoy from Oct-Dec 2009. When in Venice try to find the time to visit the island of Torcello. https://mybyzantine.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/mosaic-hunting-pictures-from-aquileia-venice-and-torcello/
Of course Achilleas. If you want to send me some thing you have my email. Tom
That’s great, thanks, Tom!Just wanted to share my website: www.empireforever.co.uk and garner support for my cause as mentioned earlier. The site points to my YouTube channel, my novel and my tweet feed of Eudokia Ingerina: @ByzEmpress.My aim is to bring a specific period of Byzantine history to life – the exciting events of the latter half of the 9th century and the intriguing situations that led to the establishment of the Macedonian dynasty – through a study of the psychology of its characters and the limitations society placed on them. The novel is one realization of my best guesses on these – the site attempts to build evidence to support this realization.Anything you could post, i.e. the link and perhaps some description as per above/below would be gratefully acknowledged.Achilleas
Hi Tom and Kim
I just found out your blog, and i enjoyed very much the few posts i read, thank you.
Keep the good job.
Hi tom, I am a big fan of robin piersons podcast and an amauter history buff. I create a community page on google + called the history of the byzantine empire. Would love it if you could join in. One member in particular directed me to your blog. He has made some nice links to your blog. Lars brownworth made Byzantium easy for us all and I hope we can all bring it’s rich history to the everyday person. Keep up the good work and come have a look over at google. Very similar feel with bite size posts. Cheers rob
Hello all,
I have spoons and forks which I think they belong to Byzantine era. I need help to find out if my thought is right. Who is interested please contact me
Thanks
Dear Tom and Kim,
I stumbled upon your blog just when I had lost all hope for any kind of an interest in Byzantium from anyone in the blogosphere. I am originally from Istanbul and I have fallen in love with it’s Byzantine past only recently while taking classes at Koc University. I write about my experiences, discoveries with the history and remains of the Byzantine empire in my blog http://www.sedefscorner.com – I hope you can check it out.
If I may be so bold, can I suggest you to open a twitter account? I think you would find a very eager crowd of antiquarians, medievalists and even Byzantinists.
Thank you for this wonderful blog and the service you are providing by sharing your knowledge on a civilization that have been ignored for too long.
Sedef
I think I just found my new favorite website. Wonderful work, Tom! I’ve been fascinated by the Byzantium since I was a teenager and to find a site like this is just, well, now I’ve got to go read every word you’ve written or posted.
I’d like to advise your friends of my website: apuleiusbooks.com. I have links there to an email interview that I did with the Byzantinist Bill Caraher and a youtube interview about my two novels: Antonina, a Byzantine Slut, and Count No Man Happy, the latter being a fantasy about the emperor Constantine VI who was blinded by his mom, the empress Irene (details and excerpts on the site.)
Followers of your blog may be interested to know that my 2010 book, Prodigal Daughter: A Journey to Byzantium, which was short-listed for the Steven Runciman Award in 2011, is available as an e-book. In UK and Europe: sales@gazellebooks.co.uk. http://www.myrnakostash.com/book-store/prodigal-daughter/
I love you blog. I also have a lasting interest in the Eastern Empire, please visit us at /r/byzantium we would love your insight and opinions!
Tom: Thanks for the note. I’ve at least twice before tried to contact you. I hope you like my writing; it is so hard to stir up popular interest in Byzantium. It has been my hope that some quality fiction might do the trick. My books are certainly not light summer reading but I hope that they will appeal to readers of serious historical fiction and help to get the ball rolling. Regrettably, Byzantine sites seem to reject outright anything that is not scholarly non fiction. That doesn’t much interest the wider audience or get me reviews.
Further the last note. If you want to check it out, my web site is apuleiusbooks.com. There you will find an interview with the Byzantinist Bill Caraher, a Youtube video interview about my books, excerpts, links, another youtube Video Introduction to Byzantium, etc.
Thanks,
Vincent O’Reilly (aka: Paul Kastenellos)
So happy to find your site! I just found your Patrick Leigh Fermor site and connected to this one. You may be interested in two shows now at the J Paul Getty Museum in California:
“Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections” (through August 25, 2014) and “Heaven and Earth: Byzantine Illuminations at the Cultural Crossroads” (through June 22, 2014).
https://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/art_of_byzantium/
I visited the first exhibit when it was at the National Gallery in Washington DC earlier this year. It featured sacred music performed by Cappella Romana (www.cappellaromana.org), which specializes in Slavic and Byzantine sacred music. If you haven’t heard a recording or been to a concert, please check them out. It is another way to experience the Byzantine world.
Hi, Tom. Do you know the provenance of the little black and white image that is so often published with materials on Anna Comnena? I’m trying to ascertain whether there is an image of her that scholars think really is am image of her. Can you help?
Hi Tom, I stumbled across your blog awhile ago and just wanted to say hi. I love your philosophy for your blog about relating Byzantium for people today. I have been fascinated by Byzantium for some 18+ years now. I only started blogging about it directly in January of this year at http://thehistoryofthebyzantineempire.wordpress.com. My primary blog is called if it happened yesterday, its history. I am approaching a year in blogging life Lol. You I see are a bit of a veteran. Congratulations on a great blog ! I did two interviews with John Julius Norwich and Roger Crowley last year with reference to their contribution to history and Byzantium. Thought it might be something that may interest you. I hope in the future we might be able to collaborate on something ? Cheers Rob
Hi Robert – sorry for the VERY delayed reply. I don’t quite know how I missed you comment. Yes happy to discuss some cooperation etc. Tom
The page about art museums in Athens is no longer available, it seems. Can you repost? Thanks.
coming tomorrow Myrna – a bit of a false start on that one. Apologies