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Hi is a person that admires and very much appreciate your videos I want to ask you if it's possible that you can make a video about Jews in the late Roman empire and the Byzantine empire?
In the maps that you presented large portions of the Pindus and the Peloponnese are shown as not being part of the empire, however Bulgarians and Slavs in general never had formal power for extended periods of time, mostly raids and trying to conquer without much success
Even in classical Rome, the Greek language theoretically enjoyed equal status to Latin. For example, the critical military legionary oath could be taken in Latin or Greek. The Roman aristocracy (like Julius Caesar) boasted their fluency in Greek.
Marcus Aurelius wrote his book meditations in Greek, not Latin. Also Theodosius the Great passed a law permitting legal proceedings to be conducted in both Latin and Greek...in the East and West.
@@TheManCaveYTChannel Yeah I know but I wouldn’t say Greek was of ‘equal status’ it was more of a symbol of being a member of the upper class no. Latin was clearly superior as it was the language of the people of the heartland of the Empire. That’s just my opinion though to be faur
I am Greek and my family lived in Constantinople till 1922, all Asia Minor Greeks called them selfs Ρωμιοί and they belonged to Rum milet which was Greek Orthodox Church during ottoman occupation(Ρωμαϊκή εκκλησία).What is really sad is that all Greek population of Asia Minor and Easter Thrace got killed during the Greek genocide or they forced away to the place you know as today Greece.I hope one day we will come back to our lands.
Greek was always more dominant than Latin in the east. The majority of people who spoke Latin were military officials and civil authorities. The people spoke predominantly Greek. From the days of Augustus to the days of Heraclius. I don’t see why people seem to always emphasize this point so much. Why would the government continue speaking Latin if almost no one in the lands they ruled spoke Latin?
True, and even then they continued to use Latin for so long. Emperors and parts of the government continued to speak/understand Latin until at least 800s AD- that's almost a period of the entire American history after the fall of the Western Roman Empire or it is as long as the Principate period of the Empire. And Latin continued to be used in a reduced capacity as late as the 11th century. For example we see Basil II's solidus (nomisma) with the text: "[bASI]LIOS ET CONSTANT' AUGG" trans. Basil(eus) and Constant(inus) Augusti, this was written as such because Basil was co-emperor with his brother Constantine VII. On the backside there is an inscription: +IhS XIS REX REGNANTINM trans. Jesus Christ, King of Kings. This text is in combined Greek and Latin- fitting for the Eastern Romans. Even the ancient imperial offices while named in Greek were mostly just transliterations of their original Latin names such as Patrikios (Patrician), Quasitor (Quaestor), Praitor (Praetor), Magistros (magister officiorum), Doux (Dux), Kaisar (Caesar), Avgoustos (Augstus), Autokrator (Imperator), etc. etc And all of these are after the 7th century and most of these titles are 1500+ years old by that point of Roman history- many being used since the time of King Romulus himself. It is also evidenced that classical Roman Latin continued to be taught or learnt in the University of Constantinople evidenced by the fact that classical Roman works continued to be transliterated into Greek even in the 11th century. In order to translate a language, you have to learn it. Tutors of future Emperors (such as of Basil) prepared learning material for them educating them on the history of their Empire from as early as the Roman Republic and all of these curricula needed to be prepared from original Latin sources which were preserved in Constantinople. A lot of the "changes"/"diversions" were just normal, natural evolutions and it is clear that the Eastern Romans were quite self-aware and conservative and actually tried to change as little as possible. We see how different the Late Romans looked from the Early Romans and it took just 200 years while each epoch of Eastern Roman history lasts 300+ years and the stylistic changes are not as drastic with efforts to keep the classical elements preserved. Even in terms of name they even called themselves the less known term- Aosones/Aosonians. Ausones is the ancient Greek term to refer to the Aurunci which were a 1st millenium BC ancient Italic peoples and were the first to be subjugated and assimilated by the then nascent Roman republic.
And also The Romans changed with the times. For example, the Romans of Augustus were not the same as the Romans of the king Romulus etc. Yes, they always culturally changed. Some aspects changed and some stayed the same. Why are people so surprised about that?
Sebastian, I wish you would write and record a comprehensive history of the Late Roman Empire. Audible only has one offering on this topic, which is an overview of only four hours duration, I didn’t learn a single new thing from it. I had to resort to print, so I just ordered “Blackwell’s”, it’s on its way. It seems to be the standard work for this period. I hope you will consider creating your own detailed recorded book, in your own voice. We would love it and I think it would sell well. Thanks🙂
Hi Kimberly, thanks a lot for your as always, excellent comment :) That is actually a wonderful idea. I hope that Maiorianus is one day in such a place, as to not require that much time and dedication from me. Currently it still does, but one day maybe, I can hire an editor and reduce my workload. Then this might free up enugh time, to consider writing a book. I would like to write multiple books actually, so massively complex and rich are the many topics regarding the Western and Eastern Roman Empire.
The butterfly effect would be huge. Also depends in what capacity did it survive? Does it survive as it was in the 11th centiury? Or the 12th after losing a majority of Anatolia? Or 14th -15th where Constantinople does get sacked but the Empire manages to survive basically as Greece+
It'd just be a christian dominated version of the ottoman empire, fall behind the west and then fragment into ethno nation states . But instead of Turkey we have a bigger Greece with Constantinople as capital.
It survived the Islamic expansion unlike the Sassanid empire Arabs failed to take Anatolia or Constantinople so the empire survived 800 years after the beginning of Islamic conquests
Let's all just please try to get away from the 'Byzantine' label. It makes no sense, I think we're all smart enough to compartmentalize. If we can do so with the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire of Antiquity, then we can do so with the Medieval Roman Empire. It's not a successor state, it is the Roman Empire. Just because scholars don't deliberately use it as a pejorative, doesn't mean it still isn't one. Like you said, 'Byzantine' has it roots as a pejorative, and there are still small Greek speaking, Orthodox Christian communities in Syria and Turkey that call themselves Romans. They are ethnic Romans, and the 'Byzantine' label used in almost any sense still denies them of their heritage and identity.
I don’t know, to me it’s like calling an Englishman an Anglo-Saxon or an Anglo-Norman, technically it’s correct and the English are a continuation of the Anglo-Saxons, but you’re not going around calling Englishmen Anglo-Saxons.
@@pyrrhusofepirus8491 There's definitely a lot of white supremacists walking around calling themselves Anglo-Saxons, though. But you're right, I wouldn't call Englishmen Anglo-Saxons when this is not their self-identification. Just like I wouldn't call modern Greeks post 1800s Romans, because this is not their ethnic identity either. The eastern Romans, however, called and still call themselves Roman, tracing their cultural origins from the mythical Aeneas fleeing Troy and settling in Italy. If you won't call an Englishman an Anglo-Saxon, especially when this is not their self-proclaimed ethnic identity, then why would you call an Eastern Roman a Greek or a Byzantine when this is not their self-proclaimed ethnic identity? (Even 'Eastern' Roman is sus.) But you would only do so to deny them of their identity and cultural heritage, just as Maiorianus said in the video.
@@VoiceInHisHead "Byzantine" is a slur given to enemies/hated rivals. We as neutral history learners should certainly not use that term. Unless you have a western agenda to denigrate these people.
@@VoiceInHisHead I think you’re implying malice or insults (or at least that’s the way it’s written, be free to correct me) in what is ultimately just the modern used word for this particular period of the Roman Empire. The word Byzantine may have started as a pejorative, but ultimately is just what we call them and everyone knows who you’re on about when talking about the “Byzantines”. We, as English speakers, don’t call the Germans ‘Deutsch’ or call Germany ‘Deutschland’, but we use German and Germany nonetheless because that’s simply what we’ve called it and traces its way back to the Romans and no one really cares. I’m not denying their identity by not calling them Deutsch, it’s simply the way English people call them. Basically, I really don’t see the problem with the word Byzantine and use it interchangeably with Roman and Eastern Roman, because we’re still ultimately referring to the same people and the same empire and modern context is without insult. Unless I were to specifically go to those communities I wouldn’t care an iota about calling the Eastern Roman Empire the Roman, Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire.
The Eastern Romans called themselves Roman all the way until the fall of Constantinople. It's like calling Puerto Ricans American. It's like calling Colombia "Nueva Granada", because it's technically the same state but no one calls Colombia "Nueva Granada". Or it's like calling Pakistan "India" because it was unified with India in several instances of history and is located closer to the Indus valley than India is.
@@minutemansam3122 They are under American occupation. Their culture and language are barely similar to any of the 50 states. They are not one of the 50 states, and are in poverty. They gain no support from the US government, they are NOT AMERICAN, they themselves say so.
@@mikaelortiz1739 Not everyone shares your point of view. I have spoken to many Puerto Ricans and sometimes they tell me they struggle to find their identity. Many Puerto Ricans who actually live in Puerto Rico tend to identify themselves more as Puerto Rican than American. It's insane how a territory that is so influenced by the United States does not allow it to hold any voting rights, let alone allow the territory to remain as impoverished as it is. I am Colombian, and even though there are several people who think that I am American, no matter how long I live in the United States I will always identify as Colombian, speak the Spanish that I have been speaking for my entire life (as a person from Bogotá), and remain in-touch with my Colombian friends, family, and culture. There are so many Americans who brag about their ancestry when they barely connect with it. If I am able to be so culturally in-tune with Americans and Colombians, as a Colombian, then Americans who love to talk about their heritage and background and whatever should try to fit into both cultures, languages, and societies. If not, just pick one.
The Turks were such a drag. They destroyed the aqueducts; so, the population of the Greeks fell to just 20% of what it formally had been as early as 800 AD. Because the Turks were always attacking, the Greeks had to give up on the big games that had entertained the city.
I honestly find getting butthurt and angry about the use of the word so unnecessary. He's even saying that it was the same polity, but it has already been transformed by the middle ages hence the term Byzantine empire makes sense to distinguish it from the late antiquity empire. Also the remnant here probably means that it was like less than half of the territory of Eastern Roman empire of the centuries prior. In which sense it was very much a remnant. I really feel like getting all defensive about the word 'byzantine' is so pointless especially when he makes a point about why the term makes sense and is clearly knowledgeable about the topic.
@@albertsuchan9366 It's nothing other than a perjorative made up after the fact with the specific intent of delegitimizing the Eastern Roman Empire. How would you like it if "scholars" in 500 years change the name of your country to a slur made up by your enemies and deny you your identity?
@@albertsuchan9366the same argument could be said about how the Roman kingdom was to the Roman republic. Or how different the Roman republic was to the early Roman Empire. Or how different the early empire was different to the empire of the 5th century. How hard would it be to just stop using the term Byzantine and say the medieval Roman Empire?
@@TheManCaveYTChannel I just think it's a really silly thing to get mad about. Yeah, the term isn't great and it's obsolete, but it has been used for centuries and I think it would be much more meaningful and smart to educate people on the Eastern Roman history in general than be triggered about a word. Especially when mostly everyone using the word or getting mad about it knows what it refers to. Acting like it's some kind of a slur just because some boomers 500 years ago coined and it stuck seems really weird to me.
@@albertsuchan9366 I think for many of us Roman history fans, the reason we dislike the word is because we were all told the Roman Empire ended in 476. If the term Byzantine is just a term to distinguish a 1000 year period of Roman history, why is it still said the Roman Empire ended in 476?
I don’t love the term “Byzantine” either, but I certainly prefer it over “Eastern Roman”. Most of us know that Byzantium is the medieval era of Rome, but calling it Eastern has a lot of misleading implications. 1. There is an implication that another western half also exists when really the western half died near the very beginning of Byzantium’s existence 2. A lot of people have this skewed perspective where they admit Byzantium is Roman, but suggest that it’s not fully Imperial Rome because it only constitutes as half. In reality, Byzantium is Rome just with different borders, and everyone knew it as such until Rome had its first empress. Constantinople was the capital of all of Rome until 395. Only after that did a Western & Eastern Rome exist until 476 when there became just one Rome again entirely back under Constantinople’s authority. 3. Due to renaissance propagandists, many also make the ridiculous assumption that Ancient Rome differed from Byzantium in the sense that it was culturally “Western” unlike Medieval “Eastern” Rome. If anything Byzantium is much more culturally aligned with Ancient Rome than anywhere in Western Europe by far. According to Roman historian, Anthony Kaldellis, “the cultural transformation of Ancient Rome to Medieval Rome was extremely gradual and no more abrupt than any other point in Roman history”. In contrast, obviously Western Europe went through dramatic changes after 476.
Love from Taiwan, plz keep this Life of ...series going. It amuses me while contemporary Asian or Renaissance diaries kept good record for us to know their entertainment preference, no "Byzantine" diary talk of what theater they watched a show!
Thanks!!! Sebestian This was a real treasure I really love your channel cause we just dont hear alot about the later Roman Empire and Eastern/ Byzantine Empire history ...
Hi Jerry, thanks a lot, I really appreciate your generous donation :) I am very happy to see how many people are interested in late Roman or Eastern Roman history, that is heartwarming. Thanks again and all the Best, Sebastian
Yea that would be interesting, 9th century Antioch which was retaken by Nikephoros was fairly large town with 60k. But when the crusaders ruled it, it had declined further to 20k.
I've always looked at it as being the Eastern Roman empire until 1204 and the 4th crusade, and calling the Nicene restoration as the "Byzantine" empire. But this separate naming you could use for many situations in the Empire.
thats a fucking awersome sponsor. I love this channel and how it´s run. No selling out. Small and good information. I Will look fowards to financially contrubute to this channel. So it can stay this way.
I don't know how the byzantine empire would be today if it survived to present day, but i know how it would look if it survived another 40.000 years... 😅
I love your work Sebastian. I am a historian specialising in the Early Medieval History (Western.). In regard to Western Europe we usually follow the classic historical breakdown into Classical, Medieval etc with some flexibility as to exact dates depending upon where one is talking about. However, the usual practice is to take the Classical age as ending during the fifth century in Western Europe and for the Western Roman Empire in particular at the abdication of Romulus Agustus. The logic of thinking of historian who specialise in Early Medieval Western Europe would place that as the Eastern Roman Empire being as being Medieval after that - whether you call it the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire. Certainly, people living in Western Europe - even as far west as Briton and Ireland regarded the state run out of Constantinople as being part of their World. We now know that there was a lot of trade and other connections even in Briton and Ireland. It is difficult to say but I don't think they thought of themselves as dealing with the Roman Empire and I am very certain that they did not think they were interacting with "Byzantines'. My guess is that they rapidly perceived themselves as dealing with the Greeks. All of that does not fit well with what you are showing us - they were actually living a Classical Greco-Roman lifestyle for several centuries beyond what historians generally regard as the beginning of the Middle Ages, really they were Greeks but, to the end, they regarded themselves as Romans! Really fascinating!
Highly recommended to world travelers, in istanbul the vague but accurate outlines of the hippodrome can be seen by the indications set at either end of its visible curve. The frame of the hippodrome runs alongside and through buildings side by side to the left and right of the center, still filled with statuary and obelisks of the hippodrome pre-800 ce, an easy walk down the center from which you can discern the boundaries of the ancient hippodrome. Istanbul is a treasure trove of the historic beauty of ancient Constantinople.
Women actually had quite a lot of rights under the Salic Franks, including cognatic inheritance laws and protections against sexual harassment and assault Adult Frankish women of childbearing age had 3x the weregeld (compensation if murdered) price than men, for example. So I would argue that, controlling for things like wealth and quality of life, Frankish women had more rights and protections than Roman women of the same time period
Ironic that the Salian Franks would become the namesake of the Salic Law, which prohibits women from inheriting a title, even passing it to her sons...
What about bathing? Were there still smaller baths with steam? There is even now a late byzantine bath in Thessaloniki. Was the bathing culture restored tosome degree after the empire recovered in the 9th-10th century and the aqueducts were restored?
My heart sinks whenever I hear Maiorianus use the anachronistic "B"-word the Germans made up to try to make their Holy Roman Empire seem more legitimate. It's the Eastern Roman Empire, or simply Roman Empire after the West fell. Byzantion is a province and Greek city and has nothing to do with the Roman Empire as a whole. Love this channel's content, but the increasingly-frequent use of that word and of AI keep me from being able to support it in good conscience. 😞
It's a slur used for a hated rival/enemy. We as neutral history learners have no reason to use it. Unless you have a western agenda of denigrating these people.
in my opinion at 700ad the roman empire was back just not to max strength. I know crusaders were completley blown away by constantinople it was ten times larger than the paris (i tihnk) and had theodosian walls not even capable of being built anymore. It was King City of Christianity. Ive always loved the eastern Roman Empire just a never ending fight for survival. ANd they held out for 1000 yeaars!
A video of the East! Thank you! I love all of the Empire, but my heart is in Constantinople. I also see many young youtubers make projects for school and are stunned to hear that the Byzantine Empire is actually the Roman Empire. I'm not a fan of the term, and I hope one day they don't rename the USA to, (the Yankee Empire), because they dressed different than days of the wild west.
I like this video so much! It's my most favorite so far! So thank you! And since you do a video about Imperator Maioranus survived before, would you like to do a video about Imperator Anastasius II survived as well? Also, thank you for introducing me to World Anvil! I don't know when and how can I used it but thank you for introducing it to me anyway! P.S: You had me at garum. If you know this reference, you know what I mean.
It is time for you people to accept it. There was never anything "byzantine". There was never a "successor of the Roman Empire". Constantine the Great created the city of NEW ROME (It was called Constantinople after his death by the people) and he moved the capital of the Empire there. The Empire was still the Roman Empire and nothing else. Not Eastern, not byzantine and neither any other shit the westerners like to call it.
Excellent video man keep up the great work I absolutely love this channel and like you I truly wish we lived in a world where the eastern Romans survived !!
Maybe you can say something about the decline of the military? Because I heard that Byzantine troops were not capable of such feats of engineering as the old Roman ones (siege engines, etc.). Efficient command of the entire army was also apparently questionable and it was more reminiscent of the Middle Ages, where a commander could get offended during a war and defect to the enemy's side XD
Am I correct thinking that: - until 480 there was the single Empire - with the western and eastern courts to rule it. - from 480 until 800 the (Eastern) Roman Empire was known in the Western Europe as The (Roman) Empire - Carolingians sought a recognition of their “restored” Empire in the West from Emperors in the East. There were two empires both “Roman”. - Ottonians similarly sought a mutual recognition (Otto II married an Eastern princess Theophano, and Otto III dreamt of a untied Empire but did nothing to make it real). - subsequent Holly Roman emperors and their courts would demote the Empire in the East to the name of the “Greek Empire”. The Eastern Empire, nonetheless, was still quite maritime and was actively present in Italy up to around 1180. - The Eastern Empire was known as “the Greek Empire” through the high Middle Ages. The term “Byzantine Empire” was only coined at the start of Modern Age, almost a century after the ancient Empire in the East had finally fallen to the Ottomans.
i dont agree with the use of the byzantine empire, but i like the idea of calling the period of history with the romans during the middle ages as byzantium
all things considered the most convenient and truthful way to differentiate the Eastern Roman Empire from the Western is to call it the Christian Roman Empire. the Empire based in the city of Rome itself deserves the title Pagan Roman Empire. easy peasy
For me The Eastern Roman Empire turned into the “Byzantine”one after 610, with the massive losses of the Eastern and the Balkan provinces and the switching of the official language.
There was never an official language nor was there an official change. It’s something that just naturally occurred overtime. Why would the government continue speaking Latin if almost no one in the lands they ruled spoke Latin? Greek was always a language spoken by the Romans including Latin.
Hi is a person that admires and very much appreciate your videos I want to ask you if it's possible that you can make a video about Jews in the late Roman empire and the Byzantine empire?
@@Clearwood_ I know bro but in the same time there is a big difference between the Eastern Roman empire in the time of Attila the Hun and the Eastern Roman empire in the time of basil II for example and of course in this video alone he give a number of examples that shows the point in what I wrote to him
@@Vigoda.d Changes in culture don't justify people coming along centuries later and changing your country's name and your people's identity. By that standard every country that exists in Europe today that still uses its name from prior to 1790 should be barred from using it and have some new made-up name forced upon it. The US are also not the same society they were when they were named.
I like your videos and your focus on later antiquity, very unique and interesting, but you could use an editor my friend, haha. From 16:56 to 17:35, you say "of course" 6 times. I actually had to stop watching to count how many times I just heard "of course"
20 min video on life in an empire that never existed? Don't fall for the western propaganda Maiorianus don't use the B word. Resist the temptation to be like everyone else who uses it.
Some weeks he’ll say Eastern Roman or medieval roman. I’m think he’s scared of losing the basic “i prefer pagan or the west” type “romaboos” viewership. They’re such a paradox, imho. Like they cry that the Roman Empire ended “too early” and I’m like “you have the East right over there for 1000 more years”
@@TaeSunWoo I know he's got a great channel I'm just giving him shit. He's my go to for this type of history. I recommend him to anyone who asks for a great channel to watch.
@@TaeSunWoo I too prefer the pre-Christian era and worship the Hellenic pantheon, but that doesn't mean burying my head in the sand and pretending the Christian era didn't happen. They preserved the Empire for another 1000 years after the West failed, and I applaud them for it. They did what my fellow pagans couldn't. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches are the only remaining Roman state institutions today, so we shouldn't simply write them off as unimportant or un-Roman either. The B-word is just a pejorative the Germans made up to attempt to rob the ERE of legitimacy.
@@TaeSunWoo A number of them also believe that a Roman empire not ruled from Rome itself isn't a "Roman" empire. Conveniently forgetting that by the late 3rd century AD the Eternal City had become superfluous.
Byzantine label is just fine to separate the east from the latin west. Culturally these worlds were very different. However the correct term should be Greek empire
Why? It was an Empire. Not a homogenous Greek population. There were Italians, Slavs, Bulgars, Serbs, Arabs, Turks, Syrians as well as Greeks and many other peoples that made up the population of the Empire.
2:10 I'm sorry Maiorianus, but I think it's too tempting to want to classify the changes of the 7th century as any greater than say, the 1st century BC Roman empire to 4th century AD Roman Empire - yet you, or I, would still cheerfully refer to the "the Roman Empire" through all those periods, regardless. If we agree that all empires and states, from all periods, must evolve and change over many, many centuries (or else wither away), then the Roman state of the 9th or 12th century AD still deserves to be called the "Roman Empire" (or at best "Medieval Roman Empire") than to call it by any other name.
An eastern roman empire surviving into the 20th century would just be ottoman but with more orthodox flavors. It would suffer the same problems and fall behind the west. Multi ethnic empires like the ottomans, qing and austro-hungarians were becoming an anachronism in the industrial age.
Wow I hate the world today it's why I like history so much, it is escapism for me. But not when I go on UA-cam too many people get triggered over everything and anything I can't even enjoy history here. I get flagged all the time for hate speech and I don't even get an explanation from UA-cam of what was said that was considered hate speech. When nothing I have said was to offend anyone.The world sucks today and the majority made it this way I would rather live in the past where I could say with freedom anything I wanted. If someone gets offended then we settle it like real men not by being a triggered keyboard warrior hiding behind a screen taking away people's freedom of speech online whether the speech being said is morally right or wrong it's the freedom behind it that is important to me. Don't like it ignore it move on like an adult not throw a tantrum like a child.
I hope archeologists and scholars far into the future refer to my country as something other than America like 'The Flavvax Complex' or 'The Metalblast Culture' or 'The Trumplitarian Empire' just to give it that "Byzantine" flair! 😮💨
You mentioned that the Hippodrome would fall into decay, but here is my question. If there was a time similar to the current one where the Olympic Games were restored, not for its pagan character but in the character we know today, and Constantinople was still ruled by the Greek-speaking Romans, would the Hippodrome still function as one of the main sports, or it would have already fallen out of fashion?
I think it is a good movement that historians are today more using the words "Roman" instead of "Byzantine". I understand its use in distinguishing the antique from the medieval, but I believe it still too much insinuates that both empires are totally different things. Yes, times changed, but time always does. Are the French less French since they are a Republic now instead of a Kingdom or Empire? Or should we call them "Gallians" instead of French since they speak no longer the Germanic Frankish language? Are the Dutch less Dutch since they wear sneakers instead of wooden clogs? Are Javanese from Indonesia less Javanese since they adopted Islam in the 1500s and abandoned Hinduism? Are the Romans of the 2nd century AD also the same to those of the 2nd century BC? And who are "the Byzantines" anyway? The thing is: no matter if they spoke Greek (which they called "Romaika" anyway) or were Christians, they considered themselves "Romaioi", meaning "Roman". So well were ancient Greeks integrated into the Roman Empire, and so strong was the cultural power and prestige of the Roman Empire. When a Roman intellectual from let's say 14th or 15th century Trebizond referred to the Romans of emperor Augustus and Sulla, they also called them "Romaioi". They saw themselves as the same. They were keenly aware of their antique Roman descendancy, and if they were learned they knew well of their history dating back to old Rome. And yes, the transition period of the 6th to 9th century changed much to the empire, which was then continuously on the defence. But it also afterwards rebounded, as did Roman culture. And thus there was an expansion of literature, monumental building, art, etc. And all these remained imbedded in classicism, even if Christian and medieval. If you look at the cross-in-square churches from the 8th to 15th century, you notice reused collumns, in some case marble opus sectile at walls and floors, mosaic works, and fresco paintings, which are different from antique buildings yet still continue many classical traditions in art, style, design and building techniques in a medieval context. The large baths of Zeuxippos ceased to exist, but bathing in itself not. Most mid-sized to larger towns had smaller bath houses just like those in Al-Andalus or elsewhere in the Muslim world, the late 12th century bath house in Thessaloniki still being a fascinating testimony to it. That is what is so fascinating about the Roman Empire, or "Romanía", in the middle ages. It was truly medieval, yet it never breached with its classical antique identity, arts and heritage; instead they always cherished it and continued to develop it. Even if some fashions unavoidably changed over time. Finally, I think we have become used the term "Byzantine". But if you use "Roman" instead, you will get used to it soon enough as well, and realize the term does more justice.
The term Byzantine was and always will be an insult, insults a culture dont go away just because time went by and certain cultures use and accept it. Look at us black people and our word, the meaning to us hasnt diminished as a insult if a European says it. The Germans and Catholics called them Byzantine as a insult so it will always be a insult, they are the Eastern Romans.
you talk about life in the byzantine empire.but you choose one of the worst eras to describe it,even then tho it was still far better than western europe. next time choose macedonian,and komnenian dynasty for how life was at these times.you will find that the difference then between the west and east was in centuries in terms of civilization and innovation,,economics(non feudal)and sociology.
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Hi is a person that admires and very much appreciate your videos I want to ask you if it's possible that you can make a video about Jews in the late Roman empire and the Byzantine empire?
In the maps that you presented large portions of the Pindus and the Peloponnese are shown as not being part of the empire, however Bulgarians and Slavs in general never had formal power for extended periods of time, mostly raids and trying to conquer without much success
One great detail about society. They still had public baths, and were building new ones as late as in the 13th century.
Even in classical Rome, the Greek language theoretically enjoyed equal status to Latin. For example, the critical military legionary oath could be taken in Latin or Greek. The Roman aristocracy (like Julius Caesar) boasted their fluency in Greek.
Caesar did write his account of the wars in gaul in latin to be fair
@@ElliotCarson True. But the very sneaky Romans like Caesar sent their secret messages in Greek, which no Gaul understood.
@@ElliotCarsonprobably just personal preference lol. I mean, he did just conquer Gaul in the name of Rome, gotta keep up that patriotic public image
Marcus Aurelius wrote his book meditations in Greek, not Latin. Also Theodosius the Great passed a law permitting legal proceedings to be conducted in both Latin and Greek...in the East and West.
@@TheManCaveYTChannel Yeah I know but I wouldn’t say Greek was of ‘equal status’ it was more of a symbol of being a member of the upper class no. Latin was clearly superior as it was the language of the people
of the heartland of the Empire. That’s just my opinion though to be faur
I am Greek and my family lived in Constantinople till 1922, all Asia Minor Greeks called them selfs Ρωμιοί and they belonged to Rum milet which was Greek Orthodox Church during ottoman occupation(Ρωμαϊκή εκκλησία).What is really sad is that all Greek population of Asia Minor and Easter Thrace got killed during the Greek genocide or they forced away to the place you know as today Greece.I hope one day we will come back to our lands.
Greek was always more dominant than Latin in the east. The majority of people who spoke Latin were military officials and civil authorities. The people spoke predominantly Greek. From the days of Augustus to the days of Heraclius. I don’t see why people seem to always emphasize this point so much. Why would the government continue speaking Latin if almost no one in the lands they ruled spoke Latin?
True, and even then they continued to use Latin for so long. Emperors and parts of the government continued to speak/understand Latin until at least 800s AD- that's almost a period of the entire American history after the fall of the Western Roman Empire or it is as long as the Principate period of the Empire.
And Latin continued to be used in a reduced capacity as late as the 11th century. For example we see Basil II's solidus (nomisma) with the text: "[bASI]LIOS ET CONSTANT' AUGG" trans. Basil(eus) and Constant(inus) Augusti, this was written as such because Basil was co-emperor with his brother Constantine VII.
On the backside there is an inscription: +IhS XIS REX REGNANTINM trans. Jesus Christ, King of Kings. This text is in combined Greek and Latin- fitting for the Eastern Romans.
Even the ancient imperial offices while named in Greek were mostly just transliterations of their original Latin names such as Patrikios (Patrician), Quasitor (Quaestor), Praitor (Praetor), Magistros (magister officiorum), Doux (Dux), Kaisar (Caesar), Avgoustos (Augstus), Autokrator (Imperator), etc. etc And all of these are after the 7th century and most of these titles are 1500+ years old by that point of Roman history- many being used since the time of King Romulus himself.
It is also evidenced that classical Roman Latin continued to be taught or learnt in the University of Constantinople evidenced by the fact that classical Roman works continued to be transliterated into Greek even in the 11th century. In order to translate a language, you have to learn it. Tutors of future Emperors (such as of Basil) prepared learning material for them educating them on the history of their Empire from as early as the Roman Republic and all of these curricula needed to be prepared from original Latin sources which were preserved in Constantinople.
A lot of the "changes"/"diversions" were just normal, natural evolutions and it is clear that the Eastern Romans were quite self-aware and conservative and actually tried to change as little as possible.
We see how different the Late Romans looked from the Early Romans and it took just 200 years while each epoch of Eastern Roman history lasts 300+ years and the stylistic changes are not as drastic with efforts to keep the classical elements preserved.
Even in terms of name they even called themselves the less known term- Aosones/Aosonians. Ausones is the ancient Greek term to refer to the Aurunci which were a 1st millenium BC ancient Italic peoples and were the first to be subjugated and assimilated by the then nascent Roman republic.
@@zippyparakeet1074 Did not know alot of that. Thanks for the info!
And also The Romans changed with the times. For example, the Romans of Augustus were not the same as the Romans of the king Romulus etc. Yes, they always culturally changed. Some aspects changed and some stayed the same. Why are people so surprised about that?
@@samuelkohi4415they want things t0 fit their worldview. Humans are flawed, and that seeps into people wanting to understand the past
@@zippyparakeet1074 Excellent answer. Where did you get your info from? How did they teach Latin at the University? Did the elites read Virgil, etc. ?
I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt's Byzantine society playlist on the topic
Never seen his videos. Sounds German,too.
@@napoleonfeanor
Its in english
Can you post a link?
@@IonutPaun-lp2zq
ua-cam.com/play/PLsTzegJZgtyjqCsEk6eAq5KuJp-fiXFPa.html&si=nsqFOSku1192Ss6H
"Al toque mi rey"
@@IonutPaun-lp2zq
ua-cam.com/play/PLsTzegJZgtyjqCsEk6eAq5KuJp-fiXFPa.html&si=nsqFOSku1192Ss6H
Technically the Byzantine Empire was still the Roman Empire.
He knows, the term is used for convinence.
It was and still is the legitimate Roman Empire - the "Byzantines" would call themselves "Romaioi" - literally Romans.
@@thevisitor1012convenient for who? Would it not be easier to just say medieval Roman Empire?
@@TheManCaveYTChannelConvenient for the Germans and the Catholics!
@@TheManCaveYTChannel Because most people believe that Rome fell in 476 AD. I admit that I was one of them, until I came across this channel.
Sebastian, I wish you would write and record a comprehensive history of the Late Roman Empire. Audible only has one offering on this topic, which is an overview of only four hours duration, I didn’t learn a single new thing from it. I had to resort to print, so I just ordered “Blackwell’s”, it’s on its way. It seems to be the standard work for this period. I hope you will consider creating your own detailed recorded book, in your own voice. We would love it and I think it would sell well. Thanks🙂
Hi Kimberly, thanks a lot for your as always, excellent comment :)
That is actually a wonderful idea. I hope that Maiorianus is one day in such a place, as to not require that much time and dedication from me. Currently it still does, but one day maybe, I can hire an editor and reduce my workload. Then this might free up enugh time, to consider writing a book. I would like to write multiple books actually, so massively complex and rich are the many topics regarding the Western and Eastern Roman Empire.
What if the Eastern Roman Empire survived the Muslim expansion and continued to exist into the present day?
The butterfly effect would be huge. Also depends in what capacity did it survive? Does it survive as it was in the 11th centiury? Or the 12th after losing a majority of Anatolia? Or 14th -15th where Constantinople does get sacked but the Empire manages to survive basically as Greece+
That would change too much to predict. Also at which border did it remain?
It'd just be a christian dominated version of the ottoman empire, fall behind the west and then fragment into ethno nation states . But instead of Turkey we have a bigger Greece with Constantinople as capital.
@@majungasaurusaaaa Agree and also we can probably get a bigger Armenia.
It survived the Islamic expansion unlike the Sassanid empire
Arabs failed to take Anatolia or Constantinople so the empire survived 800 years after the beginning of Islamic conquests
appreciate you bro
All times on Revenge of the Sith I listen to Obi Wan saying: WE ARE STILL FLYING HALF OF THE SHIP, I recall the year 476AD 😂😂😂
Let's all just please try to get away from the 'Byzantine' label. It makes no sense, I think we're all smart enough to compartmentalize. If we can do so with the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire of Antiquity, then we can do so with the Medieval Roman Empire. It's not a successor state, it is the Roman Empire. Just because scholars don't deliberately use it as a pejorative, doesn't mean it still isn't one. Like you said, 'Byzantine' has it roots as a pejorative, and there are still small Greek speaking, Orthodox Christian communities in Syria and Turkey that call themselves Romans. They are ethnic Romans, and the 'Byzantine' label used in almost any sense still denies them of their heritage and identity.
Couldn't have said it better.
I don’t know, to me it’s like calling an Englishman an Anglo-Saxon or an Anglo-Norman, technically it’s correct and the English are a continuation of the Anglo-Saxons, but you’re not going around calling Englishmen Anglo-Saxons.
@@pyrrhusofepirus8491 There's definitely a lot of white supremacists walking around calling themselves Anglo-Saxons, though. But you're right, I wouldn't call Englishmen Anglo-Saxons when this is not their self-identification. Just like I wouldn't call modern Greeks post 1800s Romans, because this is not their ethnic identity either. The eastern Romans, however, called and still call themselves Roman, tracing their cultural origins from the mythical Aeneas fleeing Troy and settling in Italy. If you won't call an Englishman an Anglo-Saxon, especially when this is not their self-proclaimed ethnic identity, then why would you call an Eastern Roman a Greek or a Byzantine when this is not their self-proclaimed ethnic identity? (Even 'Eastern' Roman is sus.) But you would only do so to deny them of their identity and cultural heritage, just as Maiorianus said in the video.
@@VoiceInHisHead "Byzantine" is a slur given to enemies/hated rivals. We as neutral history learners should certainly not use that term. Unless you have a western agenda to denigrate these people.
@@VoiceInHisHead I think you’re implying malice or insults (or at least that’s the way it’s written, be free to correct me) in what is ultimately just the modern used word for this particular period of the Roman Empire. The word Byzantine may have started as a pejorative, but ultimately is just what we call them and everyone knows who you’re on about when talking about the “Byzantines”. We, as English speakers, don’t call the Germans ‘Deutsch’ or call Germany ‘Deutschland’, but we use German and Germany nonetheless because that’s simply what we’ve called it and traces its way back to the Romans and no one really cares. I’m not denying their identity by not calling them Deutsch, it’s simply the way English people call them.
Basically, I really don’t see the problem with the word Byzantine and use it interchangeably with Roman and Eastern Roman, because we’re still ultimately referring to the same people and the same empire and modern context is without insult. Unless I were to specifically go to those communities I wouldn’t care an iota about calling the Eastern Roman Empire the Roman, Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire.
Thank you and Much Love from the Philippines.
The Eastern Romans called themselves Roman all the way until the fall of Constantinople. It's like calling Puerto Ricans American. It's like calling Colombia "Nueva Granada", because it's technically the same state but no one calls Colombia "Nueva Granada". Or it's like calling Pakistan "India" because it was unified with India in several instances of history and is located closer to the Indus valley than India is.
Puerto Ricans are Americans..
@@minutemansam3122 They are under American occupation. Their culture and language are barely similar to any of the 50 states. They are not one of the 50 states, and are in poverty. They gain no support from the US government, they are NOT AMERICAN, they themselves say so.
Except they were legit romans with imperial power intact throughout their existence at least till 1204. Not just wannabes who get popes to crown them.
Well I’m from Puerto Rico and I am American.
Like texans or californians are Americans I am as well.
@@mikaelortiz1739 Not everyone shares your point of view. I have spoken to many Puerto Ricans and sometimes they tell me they struggle to find their identity. Many Puerto Ricans who actually live in Puerto Rico tend to identify themselves more as Puerto Rican than American. It's insane how a territory that is so influenced by the United States does not allow it to hold any voting rights, let alone allow the territory to remain as impoverished as it is. I am Colombian, and even though there are several people who think that I am American, no matter how long I live in the United States I will always identify as Colombian, speak the Spanish that I have been speaking for my entire life (as a person from Bogotá), and remain in-touch with my Colombian friends, family, and culture. There are so many Americans who brag about their ancestry when they barely connect with it. If I am able to be so culturally in-tune with Americans and Colombians, as a Colombian, then Americans who love to talk about their heritage and background and whatever should try to fit into both cultures, languages, and societies. If not, just pick one.
The Turks were such a drag. They destroyed the aqueducts; so, the population of the Greeks fell to just 20% of what it formally had been as early as 800 AD. Because the Turks were always attacking, the Greeks had to give up on the big games that had entertained the city.
The "Byzantine Empire" is not the remnant of the Eastern Roman Empire.
It is the ROMAN EMPIRE during the Middle Ages.
I honestly find getting butthurt and angry about the use of the word so unnecessary. He's even saying that it was the same polity, but it has already been transformed by the middle ages hence the term Byzantine empire makes sense to distinguish it from the late antiquity empire. Also the remnant here probably means that it was like less than half of the territory of Eastern Roman empire of the centuries prior. In which sense it was very much a remnant. I really feel like getting all defensive about the word 'byzantine' is so pointless especially when he makes a point about why the term makes sense and is clearly knowledgeable about the topic.
@@albertsuchan9366 It's nothing other than a perjorative made up after the fact with the specific intent of delegitimizing the Eastern Roman Empire.
How would you like it if "scholars" in 500 years change the name of your country to a slur made up by your enemies and deny you your identity?
@@albertsuchan9366the same argument could be said about how the Roman kingdom was to the Roman republic. Or how different the Roman republic was to the early Roman Empire. Or how different the early empire was different to the empire of the 5th century. How hard would it be to just stop using the term Byzantine and say the medieval Roman Empire?
@@TheManCaveYTChannel I just think it's a really silly thing to get mad about. Yeah, the term isn't great and it's obsolete, but it has been used for centuries and I think it would be much more meaningful and smart to educate people on the Eastern Roman history in general than be triggered about a word. Especially when mostly everyone using the word or getting mad about it knows what it refers to. Acting like it's some kind of a slur just because some boomers 500 years ago coined and it stuck seems really weird to me.
@@albertsuchan9366 I think for many of us Roman history fans, the reason we dislike the word is because we were all told the Roman Empire ended in 476. If the term Byzantine is just a term to distinguish a 1000 year period of Roman history, why is it still said the Roman Empire ended in 476?
Kudos to another great video, Sebastian!
Remember Heraclius, John Tzymiskes, Basil II and Alexios I Komnenos.
I don’t love the term “Byzantine” either, but I certainly prefer it over “Eastern Roman”. Most of us know that Byzantium is the medieval era of Rome, but calling it Eastern has a lot of misleading implications.
1. There is an implication that another western half also exists when really the western half died near the very beginning of Byzantium’s existence
2. A lot of people have this skewed perspective where they admit Byzantium is Roman, but suggest that it’s not fully Imperial Rome because it only constitutes as half. In reality, Byzantium is Rome just with different borders, and everyone knew it as such until Rome had its first empress. Constantinople was the capital of all of Rome until 395. Only after that did a Western & Eastern Rome exist until 476 when there became just one Rome again entirely back under Constantinople’s authority.
3. Due to renaissance propagandists, many also make the ridiculous assumption that Ancient Rome differed from Byzantium in the sense that it was culturally “Western” unlike Medieval “Eastern” Rome. If anything Byzantium is much more culturally aligned with Ancient Rome than anywhere in Western Europe by far. According to Roman historian, Anthony Kaldellis, “the cultural transformation of Ancient Rome to Medieval Rome was extremely gradual and no more abrupt than any other point in Roman history”. In contrast, obviously Western Europe went through dramatic changes after 476.
Love from Taiwan, plz keep this Life of ...series going. It amuses me while contemporary Asian or Renaissance diaries kept good record for us to know their entertainment preference, no "Byzantine" diary talk of what theater they watched a show!
Thanks!!! Sebestian This was a real treasure I really love your channel cause we just dont hear alot about the later Roman Empire and Eastern/ Byzantine Empire history ...
Hi Jerry, thanks a lot, I really appreciate your generous donation :) I am very happy to see how many people are interested in late Roman or Eastern Roman history, that is heartwarming. Thanks again and all the Best, Sebastian
Another interesting topic: The decline of Antioch.
Yea that would be interesting, 9th century Antioch which was retaken by Nikephoros was fairly large town with 60k. But when the crusaders ruled it, it had declined further to 20k.
I've always looked at it as being the Eastern Roman empire until 1204 and the 4th crusade, and calling the Nicene restoration as the "Byzantine" empire. But this separate naming you could use for many situations in the Empire.
thats a fucking awersome sponsor. I love this channel and how it´s run. No selling out. Small and good information. I Will look fowards to financially contrubute to this channel. So it can stay this way.
It would be interesting to see a video on what life was like for Muslims, Jews, and pagans living in the capital of Constantinople after 700 AD
I don't know how the byzantine empire would be today if it survived to present day, but i know how it would look if it survived another 40.000 years... 😅
I love your work Sebastian. I am a historian specialising in the Early Medieval History (Western.). In regard to Western Europe we usually follow the classic historical breakdown into Classical, Medieval etc with some flexibility as to exact dates depending upon where one is talking about. However, the usual practice is to take the Classical age as ending during the fifth century in Western Europe and for the Western Roman Empire in particular at the abdication of Romulus Agustus. The logic of thinking of historian who specialise in Early Medieval Western Europe would place that as the Eastern Roman Empire being as being Medieval after that - whether you call it the Eastern Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire. Certainly, people living in Western Europe - even as far west as Briton and Ireland regarded the state run out of Constantinople as being part of their World. We now know that there was a lot of trade and other connections even in Briton and Ireland. It is difficult to say but I don't think they thought of themselves as dealing with the Roman Empire and I am very certain that they did not think they were interacting with "Byzantines'. My guess is that they rapidly perceived themselves as dealing with the Greeks. All of that does not fit well with what you are showing us - they were actually living a Classical Greco-Roman lifestyle for several centuries beyond what historians generally regard as the beginning of the Middle Ages, really they were Greeks but, to the end, they regarded themselves as Romans! Really fascinating!
How was life in the Eastern Roman Empire* I got you King
All these AI pics give me serious Dune movie vibes🙂
4:59 in such a case it's better to call them Basileia Romanion
Highly recommended to world travelers, in istanbul the vague but accurate outlines of the hippodrome can be seen by the indications set at either end of its visible curve. The frame of the hippodrome runs alongside and through buildings side by side to the left and right of the center, still filled with statuary and obelisks of the hippodrome pre-800 ce, an easy walk down the center from which you can discern the boundaries of the ancient hippodrome. Istanbul is a treasure trove of the historic beauty of ancient Constantinople.
Women actually had quite a lot of rights under the Salic Franks, including cognatic inheritance laws and protections against sexual harassment and assault
Adult Frankish women of childbearing age had 3x the weregeld (compensation if murdered) price than men, for example. So I would argue that, controlling for things like wealth and quality of life, Frankish women had more rights and protections than Roman women of the same time period
Yeah! Sexual harassment gor Childeric exiled from his own kingdom for eight years.
Ironic that the Salian Franks would become the namesake of the Salic Law, which prohibits women from inheriting a title, even passing it to her sons...
What about bathing? Were there still smaller baths with steam? There is even now a late byzantine bath in Thessaloniki. Was the bathing culture restored tosome degree after the empire recovered in the 9th-10th century and the aqueducts were restored?
Comment so UA-cam recommends this great piece of information
The salted pork was particularly good.
No bathing? No Gladatorial games? No CHARIOT RACES!?!
Lame af. I wanna go back to the Augustus's time plz 😭😭😭
My heart sinks whenever I hear Maiorianus use the anachronistic "B"-word the Germans made up to try to make their Holy Roman Empire seem more legitimate. It's the Eastern Roman Empire, or simply Roman Empire after the West fell. Byzantion is a province and Greek city and has nothing to do with the Roman Empire as a whole.
Love this channel's content, but the increasingly-frequent use of that word and of AI keep me from being able to support it in good conscience. 😞
It's a slur used for a hated rival/enemy. We as neutral history learners have no reason to use it. Unless you have a western agenda of denigrating these people.
I often uses "The Byzantium era of the Roman Empire" partly thanks to you...
in my opinion at 700ad the roman empire was back just not to max strength. I know crusaders were completley blown away by constantinople it was ten times larger than the paris (i tihnk) and had theodosian walls not even capable of being built anymore. It was King City of Christianity. Ive always loved the eastern Roman Empire just a never ending fight for survival. ANd they held out for 1000 yeaars!
Constantinople was essentially the New Rome or Nova Roma, as Emperor Constantine would call it.
I like your videos so much. Which books do you recommend about the Eastern Romans for getting informed more?
Thanks!
And than you, for this kind donation, I really appreciate it :)
A video of the East! Thank you! I love all of the Empire, but my heart is in Constantinople. I also see many young youtubers make projects for school and are stunned to hear that the Byzantine Empire is actually the Roman Empire. I'm not a fan of the term, and I hope one day they don't rename the USA to, (the Yankee Empire), because they dressed different than days of the wild west.
I like this video so much! It's my most favorite so far! So thank you! And since you do a video about Imperator Maioranus survived before, would you like to do a video about Imperator Anastasius II survived as well? Also, thank you for introducing me to World Anvil! I don't know when and how can I used it but thank you for introducing it to me anyway!
P.S: You had me at garum. If you know this reference, you know what I mean.
Oooh. Eastern Roman Empire video? Let’s goooo. The based medieval Roman Empire 🙏✨😫💜❤️
@Iamnotracistlmao we’re out there 🌳👀🌳🏛️👀🏛️
Till now the Christian in east and syria pray in Greek language in orthodox church
So fascinating
They used cattle primarily to work their fields? That's interesting.
Another fun & informative video.
It is time for you people to accept it. There was never anything "byzantine". There was never a "successor of the Roman Empire".
Constantine the Great created the city of NEW ROME (It was called Constantinople after his death by the people) and he moved the capital of the Empire there.
The Empire was still the Roman Empire and nothing else. Not Eastern, not byzantine and neither any other shit the westerners like to call it.
Excellent video man keep up the great work I absolutely love this channel and like you I truly wish we lived in a world where the eastern Romans survived !!
Maybe you can say something about the decline of the military? Because I heard that Byzantine troops were not capable of such feats of engineering as the old Roman ones (siege engines, etc.). Efficient command of the entire army was also apparently questionable and it was more reminiscent of the Middle Ages, where a commander could get offended during a war and defect to the enemy's side XD
Am I correct thinking that:
- until 480 there was the single Empire - with the western and eastern courts to rule it.
- from 480 until 800 the (Eastern) Roman Empire was known in the Western Europe as The (Roman) Empire
- Carolingians sought a recognition of their “restored” Empire in the West from Emperors in the East. There were two empires both “Roman”.
- Ottonians similarly sought a mutual recognition (Otto II married an Eastern princess Theophano, and Otto III dreamt of a untied Empire but did nothing to make it real).
- subsequent Holly Roman emperors and their courts would demote the Empire in the East to the name of the “Greek Empire”. The Eastern Empire, nonetheless, was still quite maritime and was actively present in Italy up to around 1180.
- The Eastern Empire was known as “the Greek Empire” through the high Middle Ages. The term “Byzantine Empire” was only coined at the start of Modern Age, almost a century after the ancient Empire in the East had finally fallen to the Ottomans.
I'd love a "What was life like during the roman republic?" Next
For the algo!
Depicts the Byzantine Empire in Purple. I already like this man.
i dont agree with the use of the byzantine empire, but i like the idea of calling the period of history with the romans during the middle ages as byzantium
Awesome
Greek. Very Greek.
Great Video it must have been great ❤
Great video.
all things considered the most convenient and truthful way to differentiate the Eastern Roman Empire from the Western is to call it the Christian Roman Empire. the Empire based in the city of Rome itself deserves the title Pagan Roman Empire.
easy peasy
Thanks To This Magnificent Vídeo.
Wonder how it compares to life in the Ottoman Empire
Unnecessary to make a 20 min Video, just say that it was based.....
Oooooh, we have a man of culture 🗿
Based?
ERE was cringe af
@@bobbo11357It's a term that used to only be found on 4chan, but somehow it leaked out.
@@brunomattos1130reported for misinformation
For me The Eastern Roman Empire turned into the “Byzantine”one after 610, with the massive losses of the Eastern and the Balkan provinces and the switching of the official language.
The center of the eastern part was always Constantinople and Asia Minor. That's why the empire prioritized the protection of these regions.
There was never an official language nor was there an official change. It’s something that just naturally occurred overtime. Why would the government continue speaking Latin if almost no one in the lands they ruled spoke Latin? Greek was always a language spoken by the Romans including Latin.
yea
Plis The History of Emperor Heraclius.
Comment for the algorithm.
Curious how it compared to inside the caliphate.
Byzantine empire is just cool to call an empire
Great
I just say classical and medieval Rome.
They still had running water and bathed in the Byzantine Empire.
Hi is a person that admires and very much appreciate your videos I want to ask you if it's possible that you can make a video about Jews in the late Roman empire and the Byzantine empire?
Late Roman Empire and "Byzantine" empire are the same so....
@@Clearwood_ I know bro but in the same time there is a big difference between the Eastern Roman empire in the time of Attila the Hun and the Eastern Roman empire in the time of basil II for example and of course in this video alone he give a number of examples that shows the point in what I wrote to him
@@Vigoda.d Changes in culture don't justify people coming along centuries later and changing your country's name and your people's identity. By that standard every country that exists in Europe today that still uses its name from prior to 1790 should be barred from using it and have some new made-up name forced upon it. The US are also not the same society they were when they were named.
I have a hughe interest about Life in Macedonian dinasty.
Türkçe-ingilizce altyazı eklermisiniz
Perhaps the Romans were given a choice between maintaining Imperium or keeping Garum and they made the only choice they could.
Before the Fourth Crusade, it was based to live in.
I like your videos and your focus on later antiquity, very unique and interesting, but you could use an editor my friend, haha. From 16:56 to 17:35, you say "of course" 6 times. I actually had to stop watching to count how many times I just heard "of course"
20 min video on life in an empire that never existed? Don't fall for the western propaganda Maiorianus don't use the B word. Resist the temptation to be like everyone else who uses it.
Some weeks he’ll say Eastern Roman or medieval roman. I’m think he’s scared of losing the basic “i prefer pagan or the west” type “romaboos” viewership. They’re such a paradox, imho. Like they cry that the Roman Empire ended “too early” and I’m like “you have the East right over there for 1000 more years”
@@TaeSunWoo I know he's got a great channel I'm just giving him shit. He's my go to for this type of history. I recommend him to anyone who asks for a great channel to watch.
@@TaeSunWoo I too prefer the pre-Christian era and worship the Hellenic pantheon, but that doesn't mean burying my head in the sand and pretending the Christian era didn't happen. They preserved the Empire for another 1000 years after the West failed, and I applaud them for it. They did what my fellow pagans couldn't.
The Catholic and Orthodox Churches are the only remaining Roman state institutions today, so we shouldn't simply write them off as unimportant or un-Roman either. The B-word is just a pejorative the Germans made up to attempt to rob the ERE of legitimacy.
@@Gaius_Claudius alright that was a nice response. I like the way you think 🙆🏼♀️
@@TaeSunWoo A number of them also believe that a Roman empire not ruled from Rome itself isn't a "Roman" empire. Conveniently forgetting that by the late 3rd century AD the Eternal City had become superfluous.
❤❤❤
Greek Kingdom
Byzantine label is just fine to separate the east from the latin west. Culturally these worlds were very different. However the correct term should be Greek empire
Why? It was an Empire. Not a homogenous Greek population. There were Italians, Slavs, Bulgars, Serbs, Arabs, Turks, Syrians as well as Greeks and many other peoples that made up the population of the Empire.
The "Greek Empire" term you want to call ERE is just as accurate as calling the HRE "Italian Empire".
@@Arbelot Are you saying the empire talked about in this video is not a Greek Empire? What is it?
One of the emperors persecuted the Maronite Catholics in Syria and Lebanon. He was an heretic.
Byzantine
The B-Team
2:10 I'm sorry Maiorianus, but I think it's too tempting to want to classify the changes of the 7th century as any greater than say, the 1st century BC Roman empire to 4th century AD Roman Empire - yet you, or I, would still cheerfully refer to the "the Roman Empire" through all those periods, regardless. If we agree that all empires and states, from all periods, must evolve and change over many, many centuries (or else wither away), then the Roman state of the 9th or 12th century AD still deserves to be called the "Roman Empire" (or at best "Medieval Roman Empire") than to call it by any other name.
It's not only about change but the fact that we have two different cultures here.
*Eastern Roman Empire
An eastern roman empire surviving into the 20th century would just be ottoman but with more orthodox flavors. It would suffer the same problems and fall behind the west. Multi ethnic empires like the ottomans, qing and austro-hungarians were becoming an anachronism in the industrial age.
Wow I hate the world today it's why I like history so much, it is escapism for me. But not when I go on UA-cam too many people get triggered over everything and anything I can't even enjoy history here. I get flagged all the time for hate speech and I don't even get an explanation from UA-cam of what was said that was considered hate speech. When nothing I have said was to offend anyone.The world sucks today and the majority made it this way I would rather live in the past where I could say with freedom anything I wanted. If someone gets offended then we settle it like real men not by being a triggered keyboard warrior hiding behind a screen taking away people's freedom of speech online whether the speech being said is morally right or wrong it's the freedom behind it that is important to me. Don't like it ignore it move on like an adult not throw a tantrum like a child.
I hope archeologists and scholars far into the future refer to my country as something other than America like 'The Flavvax Complex' or 'The Metalblast Culture' or 'The Trumplitarian Empire' just to give it that "Byzantine" flair! 😮💨
You mentioned that the Hippodrome would fall into decay, but here is my question. If there was a time similar to the current one where the Olympic Games were restored, not for its pagan character but in the character we know today, and Constantinople was still ruled by the Greek-speaking Romans, would the Hippodrome still function as one of the main sports, or it would have already fallen out of fashion?
I think it is a good movement that historians are today more using the words "Roman" instead of "Byzantine". I understand its use in distinguishing the antique from the medieval, but I believe it still too much insinuates that both empires are totally different things. Yes, times changed, but time always does. Are the French less French since they are a Republic now instead of a Kingdom or Empire? Or should we call them "Gallians" instead of French since they speak no longer the Germanic Frankish language? Are the Dutch less Dutch since they wear sneakers instead of wooden clogs? Are Javanese from Indonesia less Javanese since they adopted Islam in the 1500s and abandoned Hinduism? Are the Romans of the 2nd century AD also the same to those of the 2nd century BC? And who are "the Byzantines" anyway?
The thing is: no matter if they spoke Greek (which they called "Romaika" anyway) or were Christians, they considered themselves "Romaioi", meaning "Roman". So well were ancient Greeks integrated into the Roman Empire, and so strong was the cultural power and prestige of the Roman Empire. When a Roman intellectual from let's say 14th or 15th century Trebizond referred to the Romans of emperor Augustus and Sulla, they also called them "Romaioi". They saw themselves as the same. They were keenly aware of their antique Roman descendancy, and if they were learned they knew well of their history dating back to old Rome.
And yes, the transition period of the 6th to 9th century changed much to the empire, which was then continuously on the defence. But it also afterwards rebounded, as did Roman culture. And thus there was an expansion of literature, monumental building, art, etc. And all these remained imbedded in classicism, even if Christian and medieval. If you look at the cross-in-square churches from the 8th to 15th century, you notice reused collumns, in some case marble opus sectile at walls and floors, mosaic works, and fresco paintings, which are different from antique buildings yet still continue many classical traditions in art, style, design and building techniques in a medieval context. The large baths of Zeuxippos ceased to exist, but bathing in itself not. Most mid-sized to larger towns had smaller bath houses just like those in Al-Andalus or elsewhere in the Muslim world, the late 12th century bath house in Thessaloniki still being a fascinating testimony to it. That is what is so fascinating about the Roman Empire, or "Romanía", in the middle ages. It was truly medieval, yet it never breached with its classical antique identity, arts and heritage; instead they always cherished it and continued to develop it. Even if some fashions unavoidably changed over time.
Finally, I think we have become used the term "Byzantine". But if you use "Roman" instead, you will get used to it soon enough as well, and realize the term does more justice.
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The term Byzantine was and always will be an insult, insults a culture dont go away just because time went by and certain cultures use and accept it. Look at us black people and our word, the meaning to us hasnt diminished as a insult if a European says it.
The Germans and Catholics called them Byzantine as a insult so it will always be a insult, they are the Eastern Romans.
you talk about life in the byzantine empire.but you choose one of the worst eras to describe it,even then tho it was still far better than western europe.
next time choose macedonian,and komnenian dynasty for how life was at these times.you will find that the difference then between the west and east was in centuries in terms of civilization and innovation,,economics(non feudal)and sociology.
Eastern Roman. No such thing as Byzantine
The Holy Roman Empire was not holy, Roman, or much of an empire.
is not byzantine, is just roman empire
prolly better than modern US lol
Just say it was based