A Chronology of Events in the Eastern Roman Empire | A List of Roman Emperors After 324 AD | Int'l Currency in the Middle Ages (link will open in new window) | Greek Fire
- 476: End of Roman Empire in the West
- 493-526: Reign of Theodoric in Italy
- 518: Accession of Justin I
- 527: Accession of Justinian I
- 533-34: Belisarius reconquers Africa from Vangals
- 535-40: Belisarius reconquers most of Italy from Ostrogoths
- 542: Plague in Constantinople
- 552-53: Final defeat of Ostrogoths by Narses
- 577: Invasion of the Balkans by Avars and Slavs begins
- 610: Accession of Heraclius
- 614-19: Persians conquer Syria, Palestine and Egypt
- 622: Mohammed flees Mecca to Medina. Heraclius begins campaign against Persia
- 626: Siege of Constantinople by Persians and Avars
- 627: Heraclius defeats Persians at Nineveh
- 636-46: Arabs occupy Syria, Palestine and Egypt and overrun Persian Empire
- 647: First Arab invasion of Asia Minor
- 674-78: Siege of Constantinople by Arabs
- 681: Foundation of Bulgarian state
- 711: Arab conquest of North Africa complete
- 717-18: Second siege of Constantinople by Arabs
- 726-87: First period of Iconoclasm
- 756-75: War between Byzantium and Bulgaria
- 811: Nicephorus I defeated and killed by Bulgarians
- 813-43: Second period of Iconoclasm
- 827: Arabs occupy Crete
- 864: Conversion of Bulgaria to the Greek-Orthodox faith
- 912-22: War between Byzantium and Bulgaria
- 923-44: Victorious campaigns of John Kurkuas against Arabs
- 961: Crete reconquered from Arabs
- 990-1019: Conquest of Bulgaria by Basil II
- 1022: Annexation of Armenia complete
- 1054: Schism between Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) Churches
- 1055: Seljuq Turks take Baghdad
- 1071: Seljuq Turks defeat and capture Romanus IV and overrun much of Asia Minor. Bari captured by Normans
- 1082: Alexius I grants trading privileges to Venice
- 1097: First crusade
- 1133-43: Victorious campaigns of John I in Cilicia and Syria
- 1147: Second Crusade. Normans capture Corfu, Corinth and Thebes
- 1155: Successful Byzantine campaign in Italy
- 1176: Seljuq victory at Myriokephalon
- 1182: Massacre of Latins in Constantinople
- 1185: Normans capture and sack Thessaloniki
- 1204: Capture of Constantinople by Fourth Crusade and establishment of Latin Empire
- 1259: Nicaean Army defeats Latins and Epirots at Pelagonia
- 1261: Recapture of Constantinople by Nicaean force and end of Latin Empire
- 1274: Council of Lyons. Michael VIII accepts church union
- 1282: Sicilian Vespers: defeat of Charles of Anjou
- 1308: Ottoman Turks take Ephesus
- 1321-28: Civil war between Andronicus II and Andronicus III
- 1329: Turks take Nicaea
- 1337: Turks take Nicomedia
- 1341-47: Civil war between John V and John Cantacuzenus
- 1347: The Black Death
- 1354: Turks take Gallipoli
- 1365: Turks establish their capital at Adrianople
- 1376-79: Civil war in Byzantium
- 1387: Thessaloniki surrenders to Turks
- 1393: End of Bulgarian state. Turks Occupy Thessalia
- 1396: Defeat of crusaders at Nicopolis
- 1397: Manuel Chrysoloras begins teaching Greek in Florence
- 1397-1402: Siege of Constantinople by Sultan Bajezid
- 1422: Murad besieges Constantinople
- 1430: Turks recapture Thessaloniki
- 1439: Council of Florence proclaims Church union
- 1444: Turks defeat Hungarians and crusaders at Varna
- 1453: Turks take Constantinople on May 29. Death of last emperor Constantine XI Palaeologus
- 1460: Turks take Mistra
- 1461: Turks take Trebizonda
Compiled by Nikolaos Provatas. Source, R. Browning.
A List of Roman Emperors After 324 AD
- 324-37: Constantine I
- 337-340: Constantine II
- 337-350: Constans
- 337-61: Constantius II
- 361-63: Julian
- 363-64: Jovian
- 364-78: Valens
- 379-95: Theodosius I
- 395-408: Arcadius
- 408-50: Theodosius II
- 450-57: Marcian
- 457-74: Leo I
- 474: Leo II
- 474-75: Zeno
- 475-76: Basiliscus
- 476-91: Zeno (again)
- 491-518: Anastasius I
- 518-27: Justin I
- 527-65: Justinian I
- 565-78: Justin II
- 578-82: Tiberius I Constantine
- 582-602: Maurice
- 602-10: Phocas
- 610-41: Heraclius
- 641: Constantine III and Heraclonas
- 641: Heraclonas
- 641-68: Constans II
- 668-85: Constantine IV
- 685-95: Justinian II
- 695-98: Leontius
- 698-705: Tiberius II
- 705-11: Justinian II (again)
- 711-13: Philippicus Bardanes
- 713-15: Anastasius II
- 715-17: Theodosius III
- 717-41: Leo III
- 741-75: Constantine V
- 775-80: Leo IV
- 780-97: Constantine VI
- 797-802: Irene
- 802-11: Nicephorus I
- 811: Staurakius
- 811-13: Michael I Rhangabe
- 813-20: Leo V
- 820-29: Michael II
- 829-42: Theophilus
- 842-67: Michael III
- 867-86: Basil I
- 886-912: Leo VI
- 912-13: Alexander
- 913-59: Constantine VII
- 920-944: Romanus I Lakapenus
- 959-63: Romanus II
- 963-69: Nicephorus II Phocas
- 969-76: John I Tzimiskes
- 976-1025: Basil II
- 1025-28: Constantine VIII
- 1028-34: Romanus III Argyrus
- 1034-41: Michael IV the Paphlagonian
- 1041-42: Michael V Calaphates
- 1042: Zoe and Theodora
- 1042-55: Constantine IX Monomachus
- 1055-56: Theodora (again)
- 1056-57: Michael VI Stratioticus
- 1057-1059: Isaac I Comnenus
- 1059-67: Constantine X Dukas
- 1067: Eudokia
- 1068-71: Romanus IV Diogenes
- 1071: Eudokia (again)
- 1071-78: Michael VII Dukas
- 1078-81: Nicephorus III Botaneiates
- 1081-1118: Alexius I Comnenus
- 1118-43: John II Comnenus
- 1143-80: Manuel I Comnenus
- 1180-83: Alexius II Comnenus
- 1183-85: Andronicus I Comnenus
- 1185-95: Isaac II Angelus
- 1195-1203: Alexius III Angelus
- 1203-4: Isaac II (again) and Alexius IV Angeli
- 1204: Alexius V Murtzuphlus (ruling from Nicaea, 1204-61)
- 1204: Constantine XI Laskaris
- 1204-22: Theodore I Laskaris
- 1222-54: John III Dukas Vatatzes
- 1254-58: Theodore II Laskaris
- 1258-61: John IV Laskaris
- 1259-82: Michael VIII Palaeologus
- 1282-1328: Andronicus II Palaeologus
- 1294-1320: Michael IX Palaeologus
- 1328-41: Andronicus III Palaeologus
- 1341-91: John V Palaeologus
- 1341-54: John VI Cantacuzenus
- 1376-79: Andronicus IV Palaeologus
- 1390: John VII Palaeologus
- 1391-1425: Manuel II Palaeologus
- 1425-48: John VIII Palaeologus
- 1449-53: Constantine XI Palaeologus
Compiled by Nikolaos Provatas. Source, R. Browning.
Greek Fire
Greek Fire was the secret weapon of the Eastern Roman Emperors. It is said to have been invented by a Syrian Engineer, one Callinicus, a refugee from Maalbek, in the seventh century (673 AD). The "liquid fire" was hurled on to the ships of their enemies from siphons and burst into flames on contact. As it was reputed to be inextinguishable and burned even on water, it caused panic and dread. Its introducation into warfare of its time was comparable in its demoralizing influence to the introducation of nuclear weapons in our time. Both Arab and Greek sources agree that it surpassed all incendiary weapons in destruction. The secret behind the Greek fire was handed down from one emperor to the next for centuries. Rumors about its composition include such chemicals as liquid petroleum, naphtha, burning pitch, sulphur, resin, quicklimeand bitumen, along with some other "secret ingredient". The exact composition, however, remains unknown. For a thorough investigation of the weapon one can refer to Professor J.R. Partington's book, "A history of the Greek Fire and Gunpowder", Heffer, 1960. This volume quotes the ancient authorities extensively, with an excellent commentary. It also examines ancient and modern theories on the composition of the chemicals used in the Greek Fire. This is considered the most up to date source on the subject.
Compiled by Nikolaos Provatas. Source, The Alexiad of Anna Comnena.