JEWELS OF THE WESTERN
CIVILIZATION
GEORGE FINLAY’S
HISTORY
OF
THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
B.C. 146 - A.D. 1453
VOLUME I
GREECE UNDER THE ROMANS. B.C. 146 — A.D. 716
Preface to Greece under the Romans
Chronology
CHAPTER I. From the Conquest of Greece to the
Establishment of Constantinople as Capital of the Roman Empire. B.C. 146 — A.D.
330.
CHAPTER II. From the Establishment of Constantinople
as Capital of the Roman Empire, to the Accession of Justinian. A.D.330— A.D.
627.
CHAPTER III. The Reign of Justinian. A.D. 527— A.D.
665.
CHAPTER IV. From the Death of Justinian to the
Restoration of Roman Power in the East by Heraclius. A.D. 565— A.D. 683.
CHAPTER V. From the Mohammedan Invasion of Syria to
the Extinction of the Roman Power in the East. A.D. 633— A.D. 716.
VOLUME II
FROM A.D. 717 TO 1057
BOOK I
THE CONTEST WITH THE
ICONOCLASTS
A.D. 717-867
CHAPTER I. THE ISAURIAN DYNASTY. AD 717-797
Sect. 1. Characteristics of Byzantine History
Its Divisions. Extent and Administrative Divisions of the Empire
Sect. 2. Reign of Leo III (the Isaurian), A.D.
717-741
Sect. 3. Constantine V (Copronymus),
A.D. 741-775
Sect. 4. Reigns of Leo IV (the Khazar),
Constantine VI and Irene, A.D. 775-802
CHAPTER II. THE REIGNS OF NICEPHORUS I, MICHAEL
I, AND LEO V THE ARMENIAN, A.D. 802-820
Sect. I. Nicephorus I, A.D. 802-811
Sect 2. Michael I (Rhangabe),
A.D. 812-813
Sect. 3. Leo V (the Armenian), A.D. 813-820
CHAPTER III. THE AMORIAN DYNASTY. AD 820-867
Sect. I. Michael II (the Stammerer), A.D.
820-829
Sect. 2. Theophilus, AD 829-842
Sect. 3. Michael III (the Drunkard,) A.D.
842-867
CHAPTER IV. STATE OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE DURING
THE ICONOCLAST PERIOD
Sect. I. Public Administration Diplomatic and
Commercial relations
Sect. 2. State of Society among the people of
the Byzantine Empire in the eighth and ninth centuries
BOOK II
BASILIAN DYNASTY: PERIOD
OF THE POWER AND GLORY OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
A.D. 867-1057
CHAPTER I. CONSOLIDATION OF BYZANTINE
LEGISLATION AND DESPOTISM. AD 867-963
Sect. 1. Reign of Basil I,(the Macedonian), A.D.
867-886
Sect. 2. Leo VI (the Philosopher), AD 886-912
Sect. 3. Alexander Minority of Constantine VII
(Porphyrogenitus), Romanus I Lacapenus, AD 912-944
Sect. 4. Constantine VII (Porphyrogenitus),
Romanus II, AD 945-963
CHAPTER II. PERIOD OF CONQUEST AND MILITARY
GLORY. AD 963-1025
Sect. 1. Reigns of Nicephorus II Phokas, and
John I (Zimiskes), A.D. 963-976
Sect. 2. Reign of Basil II (Bulgaroktonos), A.D.
976-1025
CHAPTER III. PERIOD OF CONSERVATISM ON THE EVE
OF DECLINE. AD1025-1057
Sect. 1. Constantine VIII, A.D. 1025-1028
Sect. 2. The Reigns of the husbands of Zoe, AD
1028-1054
Sect. 3. Reigns of Theodora and Michael VI (Stratiotikos or the Warlike), AD 1054-1057
VOLUME III
FROM A.D. 1057 TO A.D. 1453
BOOK THIRD
DECLINE AND FALL OF THE
BYZANTINE GOVERNMENT
A.D. 1057-1204
CHAPTER I
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT MODIFIED BY
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE POPULATION IN ASIA MINOR. A.D. 1057-1081
Section I: Reigns of Isaac I (Comnenus), and of Constantine X (Ducas)
Section II: Regency of Eudocia, A.D. 1067; Romanus IV Diogenes, A.D.
1068-1071; Michael VII, A.D. 1071-1078; Nicephorus III, A.D. 1078-1081
CHAPTER II
THE DYNASTY OF
COMNENUS, A.D. 1081-1185
Section I: The reign of Alexius I. A.D 1081-1118.
Section II: The reign of John II. A.D. 1118-1143
Section III: Reign of Manuel I. A.D. 1143-1180
Section IV: Reigns of Alexius II and Andronicus I. A.D. 1180-1185
CHAPTER III
THE FALL OF THE BYZANTINE
EMIRE
Section I: The Reign of Isaac II (Angelos) A.D.
1185-1195.
Section II: Reign of Alexius III (Angelos Comnenos) A.D. 1196-1203.
Section III: The Conquest of Constantinople and the Partition of the
Byzantine Empire. A.D. 1203-1204.
BOOK FOURTH
GREEK EMPIRE OF NICAEA AND
CONSTANTINPLE. A.D.1204-1453
CHAPTER I.
EMPIRE OF NICAEA,
AD. 1204-1261.
Section I: REIGN OF THEODORE I. (LASCARIS), A.D. 1204-1222.
Section II: REIGN OF JOHN III (DUKAS VATATZES), 1222-1254.
Section IIII: FROM THE DEATH OF JOHN III TO THE RECOVERY OF CONSTANTINOPLE
BY THE GREEKS, A.D. 1254-1261.
CHAPTER II.
GREEK EMPIRE OF CONSTANTINOPLE
UNDER THE DYNASTY OF PALEOLOGOS, A.D. 1261-1453.
Section I: MICHAEL VIII., A.D. 1261-1282.
Section II: REIGN OF ANDRONICUS II, A.D. 1282-1828.
Section III: REIGN OF ANDRONICUS III THE YOUNGER, A.D. 1328-1341
Section IV: Reign of John V
(Palaeologos), A.D. 1341-1391, including the Reigns
of John Cantacuzenos, A.D. 1347- 1354, and of
Andronicus, the son of John V, A.D. 1375-1376 and 1379-1381.
Section V: REIGN OF MANUEL II., A.D. 1891-1426.
Section VI: REIGN OF JOHN VI, A.D. 1425-1448
Section VII: REIGN OF CONSTANTINE XI, A.D. 1448- 1453
CHRONOLOGY
B.C.
323. Death of Alexander. Lamian
war
32 a. Antipater disfranchised 12,000 Athenian citizens
321. Ptolemy founds a monarchy in Egypt.
312. Era of Seleucidae.
310. Agathocles invades Carthaginian possessions in
Africa.
303. Demetrius Poliorcetes
raises siege of Rhodes.
300. Mithridates Ariobarzanes
founds kingdom of Pontus.
280. Achaian league commenced.
Pyrrhus
landed in Italy to defend the Greeks against the Romans.
279. Gauls invade Greece,
and are repulsed at Delphi.
278. Nicomedes brings the Gauls into Asia.
271. Romans complete the conquest of Magna Graecia.
260. Romans prepare their first fleet to contend with
Carthage.
250. Parthian monarchy founded by Arsaces.
241. Attains, king of Pergamus.
228. First Roman embassy to Greece
218. Hannibal invades Italy.
212. Syracuse taken by Romans. Sicily conquered.
210. Sicily reduced to the condition of a Roman
province.
202. Battle of Zama.
197. Battle of Cynoscephalae.
196. The Greeks declared free by Flamininus
at the Isthmian games.
192. Antiochus the Great invades Greece.
188. The laws of Lycurgus abrogated by Philopoemen.
181. Death of Hannibal.
168. Battle of Pydna. End of
Macedonian monarchy.
167. One thousand Achaian citizens sent as hostages to
Rome.
155. The fine of 500 talents imposed on Athens for
plundering the Oropians remitted by the Romans.
147. Macedonia reduced to the condition of a Roman
province.
146. Corinth taken by Mummius.
Greece reduced to the condition of a Roman province.
133. Rebellion of slaves in the Attic silver mines.
130. Asia, embracing great part of the country between
the Halys and Mount Taurus, constituted a Roman
province.
96. Cyrenaica becomes a Roman possession by the will
of Ptolemy Apion.
86. Athens taken by Sulla.
77. Depredations of the pirates on the coasts of
Greece and Asia Minor at their acme.
75. Bithynia and Pontus constituted a Roman province.
67. Crete conquered by Metellus after a war of two
years and a-half, and shortly after reduced to the condition of a Roman
province. It was subsequently united with Cyrenaica.
66. Monarchy of the Seleucidae
conquered by Pompey.
65. Cilicia reduced to the condition of a Roman
province.
48. Caesar destroys Megara.
44. Caesar founds a Roman colony at Corinth.
30. Augustus founds Nicopolis.
Egypt reduced to the condition of a Roman province.
25. Galatia and Lycaonia constituted a Roman province.
24. Pamphylia and Lycia constituted a Roman province.
21. Cyprus reduced to the condition of a Roman
province. Athens deprived of its
jurisdiction over Eretria and Aegina, and the confederacy of the free Laconian
cities formed by Augustus.
14. Augustus establishes a Roman colony at Patrae.
A.D. Year of Rome 753. 194th Olympiad, 4th year, a.m.
5508 of the Byzantines, called the Aera of Constantinople; but other
calculations were adopted at Alexandria and Antioch.
18. Cappadocia reduced to the condition of a Roman
province.
22. The Roman senate restricts the right of asylum
claimed by the Greek temples and sanctuaries.
66. Nero in Greece.
67. Nero celebrates the Olympic Games.
72. Commagene reduced to a
Roman province.
73. Thrace reduced to a Roman province by Vespasian.
Rhodes, Samos, and other islands on the coast of Asia deprived of their
privileges as free states, and reduced to the condition of a Roman province
called the Islands.
74. Vespasian expels the philosophers from Rome.
90. Domitian expels the philosophers from Rome.
96. Apollonius of Tyana at
Ephesus at the time of Domitian’s death.
98. Plutarch flourishes.
103. Epictetus teaches at Nicopolis.
112. Hadrian, archon of Athens.
1 15. Martyrdom of Ignatius.
122. Hadrian visits Athens.
125. Hadrian again at Athens.
129. Hadrian passes the winter at Athens.
132. Jewish war.
135. Hadrian is at Athens towards the close of the
Jewish war.
143. Herodes Atticus consul.
162. Galen at Rome. Pausanias, Polyaenus,
Lucian, and Ptolemy flourish.
168. Disgrace of Herodes
Atticus at Sirmium.
176. Marcus Aurelius visits Athens and establishes
scholarchs of the four great philosophic sects.
180. Dio Cassius, Herodian, Athenaeus flourish.
212. Edict of Caracalla, conferring the Roman
citizenship on all the free inhabitants of the empire.
226. Artaxerxes overthrows the Parthian empire of the Arsacidae, and founds the Persian monarchy of the Sassanidae.
238. Herodian, Aelian, Philostratus.
251. The emperor Decius defeated and slain by the
Goths.
267. Athens taken by the Goths.
284. Aera of Diocletian, called Aera of the Martyrs.
312. ISt September. Cycle of
Indictions of Constantine.
325. Council of Nicaea.
330. Dedication of Constantinople.
332. Cherson assists Constantine against the Goths.
337. Constantine II, Constantius, Constans, emperors.
355. Julian appointed Caesar.
361. Julian.
363. Jovian.
364. Valentinian
I. Valens.
365. Earthquake in Greece, Asia Minor, and Sicily.
375. Earthquake felt especially in Peloponnesus.
Gratian
emperor.
378. Defeat and death of Valens.
379. Theodosius the Great
381. Second oecumenical council, at Constantinople.
394. Olympic Games abolished.
395. Arcadius and Honorius. Huns ravage Asia Minor.
Alaric invades Greece.
398. Alaric governor of Eastern Illyricum.
408. Theodosius II.
425. University of Constantinople organized.
428. Genseric invades Africa.
431. Third oecumenical council, at Ephesus.
438. Publication of the Theodosian Code.
439. Genseric takes Carthage.
441. Theodosius II sends a fleet against Genseric.
442. Attila invades Thrace and Macedonia.
447. Attila ravages the country of Thermopylae.
Walls of
Constantinople repaired by Theodosius II.
449. Council of Ephesus, called the Council of
Brigands.
450. Marcian.
451. Fourth oecumenical council, at Chalcedon.
457. Leo I, called the Great, and the Butcher.
458. Great earthquake felt from Antioch to Thrace.
460. Earthquake at Cyzicus.
465. Fire which destroyed parts of eight of the
sixteen quarters of Constantinople.
468. Leo I sends a great expedition against Genseric.
473. Leo II crowned.
474. Leo II. Zeno the Isaurian.
476. End of the Western Roman Empire.
477. Return of Zeno, twenty months after he had been
driven from Constantinople by Basiliskos.
480. Earthquakes at Constantinople during forty days.
Statue
of Theodosius the Great thrown from its column.
491. Anastasius I, called Dicorus.
499. Bulgarians invade the empire.
507. Anastasius constructs the long wall of Thrace.
514. Revolt of Vitalianus.
518. Justin I.
526. Death of Theodoric.
527. Justinian I.
Gretes, king of the Huns, receives baptism at
Constantinople.
The Tzans submit to the Roman Empire.
528. Gordas, king of the
Huns, on the Cimmerian Bosphorus, receives baptism at Constantinople, and is
murdered by his subjects on his return.
Justinian commences his lavish expenditure on fortifications and public buildings.
529. First edition of the Code of Justinian.
Schools
of philosophy at Athens closed.
531. Battle of Callinicum.
Death of Kobad, king of Persia.
Plague
commenced which ravaged the Roman Empire for fifty years.
532. Sedition of Nika.
Peace
concluded with Chosroes.
533- Conquest of the Vandal kingdom in Africa.
Institutions and Pandects published.
534. Belisarius returns to Constantinople.
Second
edition of the Code.
536. Belisarius takes Rome.
537. Siege of Rome by Goths under Witiges.
Dedication of St. Sophia.
538. Bulgarians invade the empire.
Famine
in Italy.
539. Witiges besieged in
Ravenna.
Huns
plunder Greece to the Isthmus of Corinth.
540. Surrender of Ravenna.
541. Totila king of the Groths.
Consulate abolished by Justinian.
542. Great pestilence at Constantinople.
546. Rome taken by Totila.
547. Rome taken by Belisarius.
548. Belisarius quits Italy.
Death
of Theodora.
549. Rome again taken by Totila.
Justinian’s armies occupy the country of the Lazi.
550. Sclavonians and Huns
invade the empire,
551. Silkworm introduced into the Roman Empire.
552. Totila defeated. Rome
retaken by Narses.
553. Fifth oecumenical council at Constantinople.
554. Earthquakes at Constantinople, Nicomedia, Berytus, and Cos.
Church
of Cyzicus fell during divine service.
557. Terrible earthquake at Constantinople. Justinian
did not wear his crown for forty days.
558. Zabergan, king of the
Huns, defeated near Constantinople by Belisarius.
562. Treaty of peace with Persia. Belisarius accused
of treason.
563. Belisarius restored to his rank.
565. March — death of Belisarius.
13th Nov.— death of Justinian in the thirty-ninth year
of his reign. Justin II.
567. Kingdom of Gepids
destroyed by Lombards.
568. Lombards invade Italy.
569. Justin sends the embassy of Zemarchos
to the Turks.
571. Mahomet born. Weil says he died in 632, at the
age of 63 lunar years, which places his birth in April 571.
572. War between the Roman Empire and Persia.
574. Tiberius defeated by the Avars.
Tiberius
proclaimed Caesar by Justin.
576. Battle of Melitene. Romans penetrate to Caspian
Sea.
578. Death of Justin II. Tiberius II.
579. Death of Chosroes.
581. Persian army defeated by Maurice in his fourth
campaign.
582. 14th Aug. — death of Tiberius. Maurice.
John the
Faster, patriarch of Constantinople, uses the title Ecumenic, granted to the
patriarch by Justinian.
589. Incursions of the Avars and Sclavonians
into Greece. From this time Sclavonian colonies were
settled in the Peloponnesus.
590. Maurice crowns his son Theodosius at Easter.
Hormisdas, king of Persia, dethroned and murdered.
591. Chosroes II restored to the Persian throne by the
assistance of Maurice.
Maurice
marches out of Constantinople against the Avars.
600. Maurice fails to ransom the Roman prisoners.
602. Rebellion of the army. Phocas proclaimed emperor.
603. Persian war commences.
608. Priscus, the son-in-law of Phocas, invites
Heraclius.
609. Persians lay waste Asia Minor, and reach
Chalcedon.
610. Phocas slain. Heraclius.
613. Heraclius Constantine, or Constantine III.,
crowned 22nd Jan.; he was born 3rd May 612.
614. Jerusalem taken by the Persians, and Church of
the Holy Sepulchre burned.
615. Heraclius sends the patrician Niketas
to seize the wealth of John the Charitable, patriarch of Alexandria.
616. Persians invade Egypt
617. Persians occupy Chalcedon with a garrison.
618. Public distribution of bread at Constantinople
commuted for a payment in money preparatory to its abolition.
619. Avars attempt to seize Heraclius at a conference
for peace.
620. Peace concluded with the Avars.
621. Great preparations for carrying on the Persian
war.
622. Monday, 5th April — Heraclius left Constantinople
and proceeded by sea to Pylae. He collected troops
from the provinces, and exercised his army. He advanced to the frontiers of
Armenia, and made dispositions to winter in Pontus, but suddenly advanced
through Armenia into Persia. The Persians made a diversion against Cilicia,
but, on Heraclius continuing his advance, turned and pursued him. Heraclius
gained a battle, and placed his army in winter quarters in Armenia. 16th July —
Aera of the Hegira of Mahomet.
623. 25th March — Heraclius left Constantinople,
joined the army in Armenia, and was in the Persian territory by the 20th April.
Chosroes rejects terms of peace, and Heraclius takes Ganzaca
and Thebarmes. Chosroes fled by the passes into
Media, and Heraclius retired to winter in Albania.
Death
of Sisebut, king of the Visigoths, who had conquered
the Roman possessions in Spain.
624. Chosroes sends an army, under Sarablagas
and Perozites, to guard the passes by which Heraclius
was likely to invade Persia; but the emperor, making a long circuit by the
plains, engaged Sarablagas before he was joined by Sarbaraza, and gained the battle. Sarbaraza,
and then Saen, are also defeated.
The Lazes and Abasges
abandoned Heraclius in this campaign. Heraclius wintered in the Persian
territory. This was a campaign of marches and counter-marches in a mountainous
country, and Heraclius was opposed by greatly superior forces, who succeeded in
preventing his advance into Persia.
625. Heraclius resolves to return into the
south-eastern part of Asia Minor. From his winter quarters there were two roads
— a short mountain-road by Taranton, where nothing
could be found for the troops; a longer road, by the passes of Mount Taurus,
where supplies could be obtained. After a difficult march of seven days over
Taurus, Heraclius crossed the Tigris, marched by Martyropolis
to Amida, where he rested, and despatched a courier
to Constantinople. As the Persians were following, Heraclius placed guards in
the passes, crossed the Nymphius, and reached the
Euphrates, where he found the bridge of boats withdrawn. He crossed by a ford,
and passed by Samosata over Mount Taurus to Germanicia and Adana, where he
encamped between the city and the bridge over the Saros. Sarbaraza
advances to the Saros, and, after a battle, retires. Heraclius advances to Sebaste, crosses the Halys, and
puts his army into winter quarters. Chosroes plunders the Christian churches in
Persia, and compels all Christians in his dominions to profess themselves
Nestorians.
626. The scholarians make a
tumult at Constantinople because they are deprived of the bread which had
previously been distributed. John Seismos attempts to
raise the price of bread from three to eight pholles.
Constantinople besieged by the Avars from 29th July to
8th August.
A Persian army under Sarbaraza
occupies Chalcedon. Another under Saen is defeated by Theodore, the emperor’s
brother. Heraclius stations himself in Lazica, and waits until he is assured of
the defeat of the Avars before Constantinople, and the passage of the Caspian
gates by an army of Khazars under Ziebel. Meeting of
Heraclius and Ziebel took place near Tiflis, which
was occupied by a Persian garrison. The Khazars furnish Heraclius with 40,000
troops.
The church of Blachernes is
enclosed within the fortifications of the city by a new wall.
627. Heraclius appears to have derived little
advantage from the assistance of the 40,000 Khazars, unless we suppose that by
their assistance he was able to render himself master of Persarmenia
and Atropatene. They quitted him during the year 627.
9th October — Heraclius entered the district of Chamaetha, where he remained seven days, 1st December —
Heraclius reached the greater Zab, crossed and encamped near Nineveh.
Rhazetas quitted his station at Ganzaca, and pursued
Heraclius — crossed the greater Zab by a ford three miles lower down than
Heraclius passed it. Battle in which Rhazetes was
defeated on Saturday, 12th December. Sarbaraza
recalled from Chalcedon to oppose the advance of Heraclius, who occupied
Nineveh, and passed the greater Zab again.
23rd December — Heraclius passed the lesser Zab, and
rested several days in the palace of Jesdem, where he
celebrated Christmas.
628. 1st January — Heraclius passed the river Toma,
took the palace of Beglali with its parks, and Dastagerd, where Chosroes had resided for twenty-four years
and accumulated great treasures.
Heraclius recovered three hundred standards taken by
the Persians from the Romans at different times, and passed the feast of
Epiphany (6th January) at Dastagerd. He quitted Dastagerd on the 7th, and in three days reached the
neighbourhood of Ctesiphon, and encamped twelve miles from the Arba, which he found was not fordable. He then ascended the
Arba to Siazouron, and
spent the month of February in that country. In March he spent seven days at Varzan, where he received news of the revolution which had
taken place, and that Siroes had dethroned his
father. Heraclius then retired from the neighbourhood of Ctesiphon by Siarzoura, Chalchas, Jesdem. He passed mount Zara (Zagros), where there was a
great fall of snow during the month of March, and encamped near Ganzaca, which had then three thousand houses.
3rd April — An ambassador of Siroes
arrived at the camp of Heraclius. Peace concluded. 8th April — Heraclius
quitted his camp at Ganzaca.
15th May — His letters announcing peace were read in
the church of St. Sophia at Constantinople.
629. Death of Siroes, or Kabad, succeeded by his son Ardeshir.
Heraclius visits Jerusalem, and restores the Holy Cross to the keeping
of the patriarch.
630. Heraclius at Hierapolis occupied with
ecclesiastical reforms.
632. Death of Mahomet, 7th or 8th June.
Aera of
Yesdedjerd, 15th August
633. The chronology of the Saracen campaigns in Syria
is extremely uncertain. The accounts of the Greek and Arabian writers require
to be adjusted by the sequence of a few events which can be fixed with
accuracy.
Bosra besieged, and perhaps it was taken early in the
following year.
Abubekr was occupied, for some time after the death of Mahomet, in reducing the
rebellious Arabs to submission, and in subduing several false prophets.
634. 30th July— Battle of Adjnadin.
22nd August — Death of Abubekr.
September — Battle of Yerrauk
(Hieromax). Omar was already proclaimed caliph in the
Syrian army.
635. Damascus taken after a siege of several months.
The siege commenced after the battle of Yermuk.
Heraclius, taking the Holy Cross with him, quitted
Syria, and retired to Constantinople.
636. Various towns on the sea-coast taken by the
Saracens, and another battle fought
Vahan, the commander of the Roman army, appears to have
been proclaimed emperor in this or the preceding year.
637. Capitulation of Jerusalem. The date of Omar’s
entry into Jerusalem and of the duration of the siege are both uncertain.
638. Invasion of Syria by a Roman army from Diarbekr, which besieges Emesa,
but is defeated.
Antioch
taken. —
639. Jasdos takes Edessa and
conquers Mesopotamia. —
December
— Amrou invades Egypt.
640. The 19th Hegira began 2nd January 640.
The
Caliph Omar orders a census of his dominions.
Cairo
taken. Capitulation of Mokaukas for the Copts.
641. February or March — Death of Heraclius. His reign
of 30 years, 4 months, 6 days, would terminate 10th February.
Heraclius Constantine reigned 103 days, to 24th May.
Heracleonas sole emperor less than five months.
October — Constans II.
December — Alexandria taken by Saracens, retaken by
Romans, and recovered by Saracens.
643. Omar rebuilds or repairs the temple of
Jerusalem.
Canal of
Suez restored by Amrou.
644. Death of Omar.
647. Saracens drive Romans out of Africa, and impose
tribute on the province.
Moawyah invades Cyprus.
648. Moawyah besieges Aradus, and takes it by capitulation.
Constans
II publishes the Type.
653. Moawyah takes Rhodes,
and destroys the Colossus.
654. Pope Martin banished to Cherson.
655. Constans II defeated by the Saracens in a great
naval battle off Mount Phoenix in Lycia.
656. Othman assassinated, 17th June.
658. Expedition of Constans II against the Sclavonians.
Peace
concluded with Moawyah.
659. Constans II puts his brother Theodosius to death.
661. Murder of Ali, 22nd January.
Constans
II quits Constantinople, and passes the winter at Athens.
662. Saracens ravage Romania (Asia Minor), and carry
off many prisoners.
663. Constans II visits Rome.
668. The Saracens advance to Chalcedon, and take Amorium, where they leave a garrison; but it is soon
retaken.
Constans II assassinated at Syracuse,
Constantine IV (Pogonatus).
669. The Saracens carry off 180,000 prisoners from
Africa.
The
troops of the Orient theme demand that the brothers of Constantine IV should
receive the imperial crown, in order that three emperors might reign on earth
to represent the Trinity in heaven.
670. Saracens pass the winter at Cyzicus.
671. Saracens pass the winter at Smyrna and in
Cilicia.
672. Constantine IV prepares ships to throw Greek fire
on the Saracens, who besiege Constantinople.
673. Saracens, who have wintered at Cyzicus, penetrate
into the port of Constantinople, and attack Magnaura
and Cyclobium, the two forts at the continental
angles of the city.
Saracens
again pass the winter at Cyzicus
674. Third year of the siege of Constantinople.
Saracen
troops pass the winter in Crete.
677. Sixth year of the siege of Constantinople.
The Mardaites alarm the Caliph Moawyah
by their conquests on Mount Lebanon.
Thessalonica besieged by the Avars and Sclavonians.
678. Seventh year of the siege of Constantinople.
The
Saracen fleet destroyed by Greek fire invented by Callinicus.
Bulgarians found a monarchy south of the Danube, in the country still
called Bulgaria.
Peace
concluded with the Caliph Moawyah.
679. War with the Bulgarians.
680. Death of the Caliph Moawyah.
Sixth
general council of the church.
681. Heraclius and Tiberius, the brothers of
Constantine IV, are deprived of the imperial title.
684. The Caliph Abdalmelik
offers to purchase peace by the payment of an annual tribute of 365,000 pieces
of gold, 365 slaves, and 365 horses.
685. September — Death of Constantine IV (Pogonatus).
Justinian II ascends the throne, aged sixteen.
686. Treaty of peace between the emperor and the
caliph.
687. Emigration of Mardaites.
The Sclavonians of Strymon
carry their piratical expeditions into the Propontis.
689. Justinian II forces the Greeks to emigrate from
Cyprus.
691. Defeat of Justinian II, and desertion of the Sclavonian colonists.
692. General council of the
church in Trullo,
The haratch established by the caliph.
695. Justinian II deposed and his nose cut off, and he
is banished to Cherson.
Leontius emperor.
697. Saracens carry off great numbers of prisoners
from Romania (Asia Minor).
First
doge of Venice elected.
Carthage
taken by the Romans, and garrisoned.
698. Carthage retaken by the Saracens.
Leontius dethroned and his nose cut off.
Tiberius
III (Apsimar), emperor.
703. Saracens defeated in Cilicia by Heraclius, the
brother of Tiberius III.
705- Justinian II (Rhinotmetus)
recovers possession of the empire.
708. The Saracens push their ravages to the Bosphorus.
709. Moslemah transports 80,000 Saracens from Lampsacus into Thrace.
710. Ravenna and Cherson treated with inhuman cruelty
by Justinian II.
711. Justinian II dethroned and murdered.
Philippicus emperor.
713. Philippicus dethroned, and his eyes put out.
Anastasius II emperor.
716. Anastasius II dethroned.
Theodosius III emperor.
Leo the
Isaurian relieves Amorium, concludes a truce with
Moslemah, and is proclaimed emperor by the army.
VOLUME I
GREECE UNDER THE ROMANS