Antiquities

A little about the Armenians of Byzantium

In the late Seventh century, numerous nakharars and thousands of Armenians settled in Byzantium (Constantinople, Thrace, Pergamum, Macedonia, and Cyprus). Many famous “Byzantines” were descended from these Armenian migrants.

Among them was the great general Vrtanes (Bardanes Philipicoa) of Pergamum who became emperor (711-713). Basil I, perhaps the most important Byzantine emperor after Justinian, was the son of Armenian immigrants. He was born in Macedonia.

After his conquest of Constantinople, Fatih Sultan brought Turks and Armenians to the city to reduce the influence of the Greek majority. He settled the Armenians in the Koumkapou district of the city. He also helped establish the Armenian Patriarchate in the city.

By Jirair Tutunjian, Toronto

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

The Ughtasar Petroglyphs in the Heart of Yerevan: A Bronze Age Gallery in Tigran Mets Park

Tucked away in the greenery of the 2nd block of Yerevan's Nor Nork district, in…

3 days ago

Yerevan Is a Festival: From Aratta to Yerevan

Based on the Armenian-language essay "Երևանը տոն է. Արատտայից Երևան" ("Yerevan Is a Festival: From…

6 days ago

The Armenian Bronze Chariot: A Ritual Vehicle of the 14th Century BC

Among the most evocative artifacts to survive from the Armenian Highland's Late Bronze Age is…

1 week ago

Clowns of War: The Strange Battlefield Legacy of Medieval Armenian Theater

Long before "clown" became a synonym for children's birthday parties, the word described a hardened…

2 weeks ago

Dura-Europos and Ancient Armenia: A Crossroads of Priests, Inscriptions, and the Cult of Mithra

Introduction The fresco reproduced above — three white-robed priests, one wearing a tall conical hat,…

2 weeks ago