- Chronology
- Before the ninth century there were considerable differences in the chronologies used for the writing of history and chronicles (qq.v.). Some pre-ninth-century chronologies started with dates of regional significance, such as the beginning date of the Antiochene Era, 1 October 49 B.C. The Diocletianic Era was used only in Egypt (q.v.), and it began on 24 August 284. Only in 537, when Justinian I (q.v.) decreed that each new year would begin on 1 September, corresponding with each new Indiction (q.v.), was this matter resolved. Nevertheless, until the ninth century there was no agreed upon chronological system (based on the lunar cycle) for world chronicles. The chronicler Theophanes the Confessor (q.v.), writing in the early ninth century, used the Alexandrine reckoning, which placed Creation 5,494 years before the birth of Christ. After Theophanes, the Byzantine Era (5,508 years before Christ's birth for the age of the world) was widely accepted........Byzantium endured from 324-1453. It began with the foundation of Constantinople by the emperor Constantine I in 324. It ended with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks on 29 May 1453. Between those dates are many important events, undoubtedly more than can be fit into this brief chronology. Attempts at periodization are interpretative, the simplest being three basic phases: Early (324-ca. 650), Middle (ca. 650-1071), and Late (1071-1453). For 1071, the date of the battle of Mantzikert, some might substitute 1204, the year the Fourth Crusade conquered Constantinople. In any case these phases, elaborated on in the introduction, are conventional ones. The reader will encounter others, including the one suggested in section V of the bibliography.324-337 Reign of Constantine I as sole rulerFoundation of ConstantinopleFirst Ecumenical Council (at Nicaea)330 Dedication of Constantinople337-361 Reign of Constantius II, with Constantine II (337-340) and Constans (337-350) as augusti.ca. 343 Council of Serdica353 Defeat of Magnentius359 Persians capture Amida361-363 Reign of Julian363-364 Reign of Jovian364-378 Reign of Valens, with western emperors Valentinian I (364-375) and Gratian (375-383)376 Visigoths cross the Danube378 Battle of Adrianople379-395 Reign of Theodosius I, with western emperor Valentinian II (ruled with Gratian 375-383; sole western emperor 383-392)381 Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople391 New laws prohibit the offering of pagan sacrifices; all temples ordered closed395-408 Reigns of Arkadios in the East, with western emperor Honorius in the West (reigned 395-423)400 Massacre of Goths in Constantinople402 Honorius's court retreats from Milan to Ravenna408-450 Reign of Theodosios II in the East, with western emperor Honorius (until 423) and Valentinian III (reigned 425-455)410 Rome sacked by the Visigoths413 Theodosian land walls completed at Constantinople425 University of Constantinople reorganized429 Vandals and Alans cross over to North Africa431 Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus438 Codex Theodosianus issued439 Vandals capture Carthage449 "Robber Council" at Ephesus450-457 Reign of Marcian451 Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon453 Death ofAttila455 Rome sacked by the Vandals457-474 Reign of Leo I468 Naval expedition against the Vandals fails474 Reign of Leo II, with Zeno as co-emperor474-491 Reign of Zeno475-476 Basiliskos usurps power476 Western emperor Romulus Augustulus overthrown by Odoacer482 Henotikon issued484-519 Akakian Schism491-518 Reign ofAnastasios I497 Isaurian revolt quelled; Theodoric ruler of Italy505-507 War with Persia513-515 Revolt of Vitalian518-527 Reign of Justin I527-565 Reign of Justinian I529 Justinian closes the Academy in Athens532 Nika Revolt532-540 Peace with Persia533-534 Vandalic War534 Corpus Juris Civilis issued535-554 Ostrogothic War537 Hagia Sophia dedicated540-545 War with Persia545-550 Five-year truce with Persia (renewed 551, 556)ca. 550 Southeast Spain occupied by Byzantine forces553 Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople562-572 Peace treaty with Persia565-578 Reign of Justin II, with Tiberios as caesar (574-578)568 Lombards invade Italy572-591 War with Persia578-582 Reign of Tiberios Ica. 578-585 Slavs settle in Greece in great numbers582-602 Reign of Maurice586 First siege of Thessalonike by Avars and Slavs602-610 Reign of Phokas603 War with Persia resumes (to 628)610-641 Reign of Herakleios611-622 Persian attacks on Asia Minor626 Avars and Persians besiege Constantinople630 Byzantine victory over Persia632 Death of Muhammad635 Arabs conquer Damascus636 Battle of the Yarmuk River638 Arabs conquer Jerusalem; Ekthesis issued641 Reign of Herakleios Constantine and Heraklonas641 Reign of Heraklonas, with Martina as regent641-668 Reign of Constans II642 Arabs conquer Alexandria646 First Arab raids into Asia Minor647 First Arab attack on Cyprus648 Typos of Constans II issued656-661 Civil war in Caliphate658 Slavs from sklavinia resettled in Asia Minor663-668 Constans II in Italy and Sicily663-678 Annual Arab raids into Asia Minor668-685 Reign of Constantine IV674-678 First Arab siege of Constantinople680-681 Sixth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople681 First Bulgarian Empire established685-695 Reign of Justinian II695-698 Reign of Leontios698 Arabs capture Carthage698-705 Reign of Tiberios II705-711 Reign of Justinian II (again)711-713 Reign of Philippikos713-715 Reign of Anastasios II715-717 Reign of Theodosios III717-741 Reign of Leo III717-718 Arab siege of Constantinople730 Leo III bans all religious images740 Battle of Akroinon741-775 Reign of Constantine V742-743 Revolt of Artabasdos751 Lombards capture Ravenna754 Iconoclastic Council of Hiera775-780 Reign of Leo IV780-797 Reign of Constantine VI787 Seventh Ecumenical Council at Constantinople797-802 Reign of Irene800 Coronation of Charlemagne802-811 Reign of Nikephoros I811 Reign of Staurakios811-813 Reign of Michael I Rangabe813-820 Reign of Leo V the Armenian815 Iconoclasm revived by Leo V820-829 Reign of Michael II826 First Arab assault on Sicily829-842 Reign of Theophilos838 Arabs conquer Amorion and Ankyra842-867 Reign of Michael III843 Restoration of icons860 First Rus attack on Constantinople863 Mission of Constantine and Methodios to Moravia867-886 Reign of Basil I886-912 Reign of Leo VI912-913 Reign ofAlexander913-959 Reign of Constantine VII, with Nicholas Mystikos(913-914) and Zoe Karbonopsina (914-920) as regents; Romanos I Lekapenos (920-944) and Romanos II (945-959) as co-emperors954-958 John Tzimiskes and Nikephoros Phokas win victories across the Euphrates959-963 Reign of Romanos II961 Crete recaptured963 Great Lavra monastery founded on Mount Athos963-969 Reign of Nikephoros II Phokas969-976 Reign of John I Tzimiskes976-1025 Reign of Basil II (with co-emperor Constantine VIII)988 Baptism of Vladimir I, prince of Kiev; defeat of Bardas Phokas996 Legislation restricting acquisition of land by wealthy magnates from the poor1014 Basil II defeats the Bulgars; death of Tsar Samuel1025-1028 Reign of Constantine VIII1028-1034 Reign of Romanos III Argyros1034-1041 Reign of Michael IV Paphlagon1040 George Maniakes captures SyracuseRevolt of Peter Deljan suppressed1041-1042 Reign of Michael V KalaphatesReign of Zoe and Theodora1042-1055 Reign of Constantine IX Monomachos1043 Rus attack Constantinople; rebellion of ManiakesKingdom of Ani annexedUniversity of Constantinople refoundedRevolt of Leo Tornikos suppressed; Pechenegs cross the Danube and plunder Thrace1054 Schism between the churches1055-1056 Reign of Theodora (again)1056-1057 Reign of Michael VI Stratiotikos1057-1059 Reign of Isaac I Komnenos1059-1067 Reign of Constantine X Doukas1060 Norman conquest of Sicily begins1064 Seljuks capture Ani1064-1065 Uzes cross the Danube and raid Thrace1067 Seljuks pillage Caesarea in Asia Minor1068-1071 Reign of Romanos IV Diogenes1071 Normans capture Bari; battle of Mantzikert1071-1078 Reign of Michael VII Doukas1072 Revolt of Constantine Bodin in Bulgaria1073-1074 Revolt of Roussel de Bailleul1078-1081 Reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates1081-1118 Reign of Alexios I Komnenos1081-1085 Alexios campaigns against the Normans1082 Venice granted commercial privileges; trial of John Italos1088-1093 Tzachas attacks islands in the AegeanNormans complete their conquest of Sicily; Pechenegs defeated at Mt. Lebounion Monetary reform of Alexios I1095-1099 First Crusade1108 Treaty of Devol1118-1143 Reign of John II Komnenos1126 Venetian commercial privileges reaffirmed1127-1129 Victories over the Serbs and the Hungarians1132-1137 Victories over the Danishmends and the Rubenids in Asia Minor1137 Antioch submits to John II1143-1180 Reign of Manuel I Komnenos1147-1198 Second Crusade1147 Normans seize Kerkyra (retaken in 1149) and plunder Corinth and Thebes1171 Venetians arrested and their property seized throughout the empire1176 Battle of Myriokephalon1180-1183 Reign of Alexios II Komnenos1182 Latins massacred in Constantinople1183-1185 Reign of Andronikos I Komnenos1184 Cyprus falls to Isaac Komnenos1185 Normans capture Thessalonike1185-1195 Reign of Isaac II AngelosSecond Bulgarian Empire foundedRevolt of Alexios Branas1187-1191 Third Crusade1195-1203 Reign of Alexios III Angelos1203-1204 Reign of Isaac II (again) and Alexios IV Angelos.Reign of Alexios V Doukas ("Mourtzouphlos"); Fourth Crusade conquers Constantinople1204-1261 Latin Empire of Constantinople1205-1221 Reign of Theodore I Laskaris1221-1254 Reign of John III Vatatzes1246 John III Vatatzes captures Thessalonike1254-1258 Reign of Theodore II Laskaris1258-1261 Reign of John IV Laskaris1259 Battle of Pelagonia1261 Reconquest of Constantinople1261-1282 Reign of Michael VIII Palaiologos1274 Council of Lyons; union of the churches1282 Sicilian Vespers1282-1328 Reign of Andronikos II Palaiologos1302 Battle of Bapheus1305 Roger de Flor assassinated1311 Catalan Duchy of Athens and Thebes established1321-1328 First civil war (between Andronikos II and Andronikos III)1326 Ottomans conquer Prousa1328-1341 Reign of Andronikos III PalaiologosBattle of VelbuzdOttomans capture Nicaea1341-1391 Reign of John V Palaiologos1341-1347 Second civil war (between John V and John Kantakouzenos)1342-1350 Zealot revolt in Thessalonike1347-1354 Reign of John VI Kantakouzenos1348-1349 Black Death ravages Constantinople1354 Ottomans occupy Gallipoli1355 Death of Stefan Urosh IV Dushan1366 Amadeo VI of Savoy recovers Gallipoli1369 John V's journey to Rome1376-1379 Reign of Andronikos IV Palaiologos1382 Ottomans conquer Serdica (Sofia)1387 Ottomans conquer Thessalonike1389 Battle of Kosovo Polje1390 Reign of John VII Palaiologos1391-1425 Reign of Manuel II Palaiologos1393 Ottomans conquer Bulgaria1394 Ottomans capture Thessalonike again1399-1403 Manuel II's journey to the WestBattle of AnkyraByzantine recovery of Thessalonike1422 Murad II besieges Constantinople1423 Thessalonike surrenders to Venice1425-1448 Reign of John VIII Palaiologos1430 Ottomans reconquer Thessalonike1438-1439 Council of Ferrara-Florence1444 Crusade of Varna; Hexamilion restored1449-1453 Reign of Constantine XI Palaiologos1452 Constantine XI reaffirms the union of the churches;Rumeli Hisar constructed1453 Ottomans conquer Constantinople1456 Ottomans conquer AthensOttomans conquer MistraOttomans conquer Trebizond
Historical Dictionary of Byzantium . John H. Rosser .
