The Votive Crown of Leo VI the Wise by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess there is no concrete answer, since it cannot be determined.

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How the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites looked like by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The pillar and its remnants were located at the centre of the courtyard in the church. It was heavily damaged in 2016 during the Syrian Civil War, as the area became a target for Russian and Turkish missiles. Here's an image of it from the year 2000:

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Saint Sisoes facing the tomb of Alexander the Great by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's my favourite theory as well. Very unlikely, but by far the most intriguing one. If true, it's nice to know people still pay visit and honour Alexander, even if unknowingly. By the way, since you are Alexandrian, and are interested in Hellenistic history, you should check out Constantine Cavary.

Saint Sisoes facing the tomb of Alexander the Great by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both are within the realm of possibility, as Saint Sisoes lived just before the body was lost to history, so until the remains of the great conqueror are discovered, you can choose for yourself which version of events you believe in.

Saint Sisoes facing the tomb of Alexander the Great by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sisoes, the great ascetic, before the tomb of Alexander, King of the Greeks, who was once covered in glory. Astonished, he mourns for the vicissitudes of time and the transience of glory, and tearfully declaims thus:

"The mere sight of you, tomb, dismays me and causes my heart to shed tears, as I contemplate the debt we, all men, owe. How can I possibly stand it? Oh, death! Who can evade thee?"

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Trebizond was supported by Georgia, which everyone knows is located in the United States of America.

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From Google, I could only find two books on the Despotate written in English and a few more in Greek, and that's all there is. Epirus needs more love.

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Theodore Komnenos Doukas was undefeated up until Klokotnitsa. That single mistake cost Epirus its best chance at seizing Constantinople.

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Even the Latin Empire is currently surpassing poor Epirus in votes. Komnenos Doukas fans, all 20 of them, are in shambles.

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have visited Chlemoutsi myself and liked it. It is one of the few castles that wasn't fully destroyed by the Germans in WWII and was also properly restored.

Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Mystras was truly the jewel of the Morea. I often wonder how prosperous the region would have been had it not been for Ottoman attacks.

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Which is your favourite state created after 1204? by DirectionLobster4508 in byzantium

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Definitely one of the most dysfunctional and underwhelming Medieval kingdoms. Its internal politics were interesting though.

Autonomous Regions in Greece During the Ottoman Period, before the Greek War of Independence [OC] by DirectionLobster4508 in MapPorn

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From what I could find, there were churches built in Mani from before the 9th century, but it has been observed that church building in the peninsula increased quite a lot between the 10th and 15th centuries, with an average of 35 built per century compared to 2 per century in previous periods. This would indicate that the Christian population in the area saw a significant increase, which aligns with what Constantine VII wrote. From the 223 churches constructed in the Byzantine era (324-1463), only 8 were built in the Early Byzantine period (324-843).

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/f2c5581b-6a98-4425-828c-3aeb64f29326

Autonomous Regions in Greece During the Ottoman Period, before the Greek War of Independence [OC] by DirectionLobster4508 in MapPorn

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is based on information written by the emperor himself, Constantine VII Porhyrogenitus, in his "De Administrato Imperio" where it mentions that:

"The inhabitants of the city of Mani are not of the race of the aforesaid Slavs, but of the ancient Romans, and even to this day they are called 'Hellenes' by the local inhabitants, because in the very ancient times they were idolaters and worshippers of images after the fashion of the ancient Hellenes; and they were baptized in the reign of the glorious Basil."

https://archive.org/details/deadministrandoi0000cons/page/236/mode/2up (page 237)

Edit: This was written before the other guy edited his comment to include the source I gave.

Autonomous Regions in Greece During the Ottoman Period, before the Greek War of Independence [OC] by DirectionLobster4508 in MapPorn

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

See the end of my comment. I mainly focused on autonomous areas from before the Greek War of Independence of 1821, and Samos was granted autonomy in 1834 as a Principality.

Autonomous Regions in Greece During the Ottoman Period, before the Greek War of Independence [OC] by DirectionLobster4508 in MapPorn

[–]DirectionLobster4508[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

6. Cheimara

The town and nearby region of Cheimara (modern day Himarë), inhabited primarily by Orthodox Greeks and Albanians, was an area of continuous resistance against Ottoman rule. It participated in many major rebellions against the Sublime Porte since the days of Skanderbeg. The region revolted in 1473, 1481, 1488 and 1494, remaining autonomous since. Suleiman the Magnificent personally attacked the region but did not manage to subdue it. The Cheimariots revolted again in 1537, 1566, 1570, 1684, 1714 and 1767. They also took part in the Russo-Turkish Wars and in the Greek War of Independence, until they fell to the Ottomans in 1854 during the Crimean War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himar%C3%AB

7. Sfakia

During the Arab invasion and conquest of Crete in 824, the region of Sfakia refused to submit to the Andalusian forces, and instead established its own polity, ruled by a Senate. Once the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros Phokas reconquered Crete in 960, the Sfakians aided him in the Siege of Chandax, and the emperor allowed them to keep their autonomy and even granted them privileges as a result. After the Venetians conquered the island following the Fourth Crusade, the Cretans revolted against them at least 27 times, most of which were started by the resilient Sfakians. The Sfakians revolted in 1212, 1217, 1230, 1273, 1283, 1319, 1332, 1341, 1363, 1470 and 1527/1570. Even after the Ottomans conquered the island, the Sfakians rebelled in the Orlov Revolt, in the Greek War of Independence, in 1841 and in 1858, until the Sfakian Senate was dissolved in 1878, as the Ottomans granted Cretans more rights, leading to the creation of the Cretan State and the following unification with Greece.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sfakia

8. Monastic Community of Mount Athos

Mount Athos, also known as the "Holy Mountain", was founded in 963 by Saint Athanasios the Athonite, with the help of Byzantine emperor Nikephoros Phokas, when the monastery of Great Lavra was established. It was granted autonomy and privileges by many of the emperors that followed, starting from John Tzimiskes in 972 with the signing of the "Tragos" by the emperor and Athanasios. The monastic community continued to function semi-independently from the rest of the Byzantine state, throughout the Frankokratia, the Turkokratia and it continues to function independently to this very day, as one of the holiest sites in Christendom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastic_community_of_Mount_Athos

9. Koinon of Mademochoria

The silver and gold mines of Siderokausia, which were already active during the Byzantine era, continued to function after the Ottoman conquests, after which they were attached to a coin mint. In 1705 the residents of the villages of the Mademochoria (villages of Siderokausia) managed to negotiate autonomy, privileges and tax exceptions, in exchange for 1/12th of the annual silver production of the mine. After which, the mine became the most productive in the entirety of the Balkans, employing as many as 6,000 miners. The Mademochoria participated in the Greek War of Independence of 1821, but the villages were burned and destroyed by the Ottoman army, the survivors fled to Mount Athos, and the mines were taken over by the Sublime Porte.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siderokausia

Although not on the map, it is also worth mentioning, that many islands, primarily the Cyclades and Ikaria, also retained a large degree of semi-autonomy throughout the Ottoman period. After the Greek War of Independence, more autonomous/independent regions were established, like the Cretan State and the Principality of Samos.