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Category Archives: Byzantium in the News
Why we should be concerned about President Erdogan turning museums into mosques
Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church will remain “open to all”, Turkish government promises—but restricted access may not be the primary worry. An article from The Art Newspaper by Holger A Klein. Last Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News, Istanbul
Tagged Balkan Wars, Chora Church, Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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Statue of the last Byzantine Emperor is unveiled in Piraeus
Following along from our recent series on the Fall of Constantinople, a statue of the last Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos, was last week unveiled in Athens. The statue has been erected in the square of … Continue reading
Ancient Garbage Heaps Show Fading Byzantine Empire Was ‘Plagued’ By Disease and Climate Change
About a century before the fall of the Byzantine Empire — the eastern portion of the vast Roman Empire — signs of its impending doom were written in garbage. Reports Mindy Weisberger in Live Science. Archaeologists recently investigated accumulated refuse … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News
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Byzantine Monastery with Colourful Mosaics Unearthed in Israel
The remains of a 1,500-year-old monastery and church, complete with a colorful mosaic floor, have been unearthed in Israel. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that the Byzantine monastery (the complex where the church was located) was uncovered during salvage … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News
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The Hagia Sophia in Trabzon – update
When it was announced that the small, but beautiful Hagia Sophia in Trabzon was to be turned back in to a mosque on 2013, there were fears that it’s many treasures of frescoes and mosaics may be destroyed. This report … Continue reading
Over 60 pristine shipwrecks, many Byzantine, found in Black Sea
What claims to be the biggest ever maritime expedition, led by British Professor Jon Adams of the University of Southampton, set off to investigate climate change in the Black Sea three years ago, but found many ancient shipwrecks as well. … Continue reading
Eastern Roman gold coins found in 1,500-year-old Chinese tomb
Continuing the theme of the trade between the eastern Roman empire and China, this report points towards active trade and travel between Constantinople and China in the 6th Century. First published in the GB Times 7 July 2017 Two Eastern … Continue reading
The first Byzantine Museum in the Peloponnese opens in Argos
Just in time for your summer holiday visit to the Peloponnese, a new museum dedicated to Byzantine history and culture has opened its doors in Argos. It opened its gates to the public on 9 March 2017.The foundation of the … Continue reading
When the Vikings met the Greeks: Lion of Piraeus etched with Nordic runes
The mere utterance of the word Vikings, or Northmen as they were also known, used to strike fear in the hearts of the British just before and during the high middle ages, once these raiders found their way to the … Continue reading
Ancient Ottoman and Byzantine shipwrecks discovered in pristine condition in Black Sea
The Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project has been on a mission to map out the floor of the Black Sea. The study was geared towards understanding how quickly sea levels rose at the end of the last Ice Age, some … Continue reading
Ancient Coins Bearing Byzantine Emperor Constantine the First Found in Japan
Pretty amazing. This probably doesn’t indicate trade between Japan and the Roman empire but possibly later trade, and shows that the Roman coins were still in use. But they have travelled a long way! First published in Greek Reporter. Ancient coins minted … Continue reading
Turkey: Muslims demand right to pray at Hagia Sophia
Why can’t people just leave it is it stands? It has worked so far. Muslims in the Turkish city of Istanbul have gathered in front of the world-famous Hagia Sophia mosque which has been turned into a museum in the city of … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News, Istanbul
Tagged Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
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Shipwrecks found in Istanbul’s Yenikapı shed light on ancient ship production
Thirty-seven shipwrecks discovered underwater during the Marmaray subway construction in Istanbul’s Yenikapı shed light on ship production technology in ancient eras. First published in Hurriyet Daily News. An inventory of the types of wood used in the production of 37 … Continue reading
Byzantine ‘flat-pack’ church to be reconstructed in Oxford after spending 1,000 years on the seabed
Centuries before the Swedes started flat-packing their furniture, the Holy Roman Emperor Justinian had his own version, sending self-assembly churches to newly conquered parts of his empire. From the Independent. Now one of the “Ikea-style” churches, which spent more than … Continue reading
Byzantine Blog 
What Will Happen Now to Hagia Sophia’s Byzantine Mosaics?
Well. He’s done it. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pushed through his plans to annul the status of Hagia Sophia as a museum and turn it back into a mosque. We are all saddened. There is worldwide dismay and … Continue reading →