Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, was the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors. It was called the Roman Empire, and also as Romania (Greek: Ῥωμανία, Rhōmanía), by its inhabitants and its neighbours. As the distinction between "Roman Empire" and "Byzantine Empire" is purely a modern convention, it is not possible to assign a date of separation, but an important point is the Emperor Constantine I's transfer in 324 of the capital from Nicomedia (in Anatolia) to Byzantium on the Bosphorus, which became Constantinople (alternatively "New Rome").^{[n 1]}

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İznik

İznik (which derives from the former Greek name Νίκαια, Nicaea) is a city in Turkey which is primarily known as the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea, the first and seventh Ecumenical councils in the early history of the Christian church, the Nicene Creed, and as the capital city of the Empire of Nicaea. It served as the interim capital city of the Byzantine Empire between 1204 and 1261, following the Fourth Crusade in 1204, until the recapture of Constantinople by the Byzantines in 1261.

17th century denominations in England

There were a large number of religious denominations that emerged during the early - mid 17th Century in England. Many of these were influenced by the radical changes brought on by the English Civil War, subsequent execution of Charles I and the advent of the Commonwealth of England. This event lead to a widespread discussion about how society should be structured.

20th century

The Twentieth Century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1901 and ended on December 31, 2000. according to the Gregorian calendar, (2000 was the first century leap year since 1600).

Abbasid Caliphate

The Abbasid Caliphate (Arabic: العبّاسيّون‎, al-‘Abbāsīyūn) was the third of the Islamic Caliphates of the Islamic Empire. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphs from all but Al Andalus.

Acheiropoietos

Acheiropoieta (Greek αχειροποίητα), literally "not-handmade"; singular acheiropoieton), or Icons Not Made by Hand (and variants), are a particular kind of icon, ones that are alleged to have come into existence miraculously, not by a human painter. Invariably these are images of Jesus or the Virgin Mary. The most notable examples are, in the Eastern church the Image of Edessa or Mandylion, and in the West, the Veil of Veronica and the Shroud of Turin.

Acritic songs

The acritic songs (Greek: ακριτικά τραγούδια — frontiersmen songs) are the heroic or epic poetry that emerged from 10th century Byzantium, inspired by the almost continuous state of warfare with the Arabs in eastern Asia Minor. It gave birth to several Byzantine romances, most famous of all being the Digenis Acritas, setting up what is considered to be the beginnings of modern Greek literature.

Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles (Latin: Actus Apostolorum), usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age. The author is traditionally identified as Luke the Evangelist.

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea (ā-drē-ˈa-tik) is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. The Adriatic Sea is a part of the Mediterranean Sea. ^[1]

Akritoi

The Akritai (Greek: ἀκρίται, singular: Akritēs, ἀκρίτης) is a term used in the Byzantine Empire in the 9th-11th centuries to denote the army units guarding the Empire's eastern border, facing the Muslim states of the Middle East. Their exploits, embellished, inspired the Byzantine "national epic" of Digenes Akritas and the cycle of the Acritic songs.

Aksumite Empire

The Aksumite Empire or Axumite Empire (sometimes called the Kingdom of Aksum or Axum), (Ge'ez: አክሱም), was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite period ca. 4th century BC to achieve prominence by the 1st century AD. Its ancient capital is found in northern Ethiopia. The Kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the 4th century.^[2]^[3] It is also the alleged resting place of the Ark of the Covenant and the purported home of the Queen of Sheba. Aksum was also the first major empire to convert to Christianity.

Alamanni

The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main river (Germany). One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211–17 and claimed thereby to be their defeater.^[1] The nature of this alliance and their previous tribal affiliations remain uncertain. The alliance was aggressive in nature, attacking the Roman province of Germania Superior whenever it could. Generally it broadly followed the example of the Franks, the first Germanic tribal alliance, which had stopped the Romans from penetrating north of the lower Rhine and subsequently invaded the Roman province of Germania Inferior.

Aleppo

Aleppo (Arabic: حلب‎ ['ħalab], Turkish: Halep, other names) is a city in northern Syria, the second largest Syrian city and the capital of the Aleppo Governorate; the Governorate extends around the city, covering an area of 18,482 km² with a population of more than 5,000,000, making it the largest Governorate in Syria by population. Aleppo is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world; it knew human settlement since the eleventh millennium B.C. through the residential houses that were discovered in Tell Qaramel.^[1] It was known to antiquity as Khalpe, Khalibon, and to the Greeks as Beroea. During the Crusades, and again during the French Mandate, the name Alep was used: "Aleppo" is an Italianised version of this. It occupies a strategic trading point midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates. Initially, Aleppo was built on a small group of hills surrounding the prominent hill where the castle is erected.^[2] The small river Quwēq (قويق) runs through the city.

Alexander Romance

Alexander romance is any of several collections of legends concerning the mythical exploits of Alexander the Great. The earliest version is in Greek, dating to the 3rd century. Several late manuscripts attribute the work to Alexander's court historian Callisthenes, but the historical figure died before Alexander and couldn't have written a full account of his life. The unknown author is still sometimes called Pseudo-Callisthenes.

Alexander Vasiliev

Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev (Russian: Александр Александрович Васильев) (1867-1953) was considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th century. His History of the Byzantine Empire (vol. 1-2, 1928) remains one of a few comprehensive accounts of the entire Byzantine history, on the par with those authored by Edward Gibbon and Fyodor Uspensky.

Alexios II Komnenos

Alexios II Komnenos or Alexius II Comnenus (Greek: Αλέξιος Β’ Κομνηνός, Alexios II Komnēnos) (10 September 1169 – 24 September 1183, Constantinople), Byzantine emperor (1180-1183), was the son of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and Maria, daughter of Raymond, prince of Antioch.^[1] He was the long-awaited male heir, and was named Alexius as a fulfilment of the AIMA prophecy.

Alexios IV

Alexios IV Angelos or Alexius IV Angelus (Greek: Αλέξιος Δ' Άνγελος) (c. 1182 – February 8, 1204) was Byzantine Emperor from August 1203 to January 1204. He was the son of emperor Isaac II Angelus and his first wife Irene. His paternal uncle was Emperor Alexius III Angelus.

Alexios IV Angelos

Alexios I Komnenos

Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus (Greek: Ἀλέξιος Α' Κομνηνός, 1056 – 15 August 1118), was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and the founder of the Komnenian dynasty. Inheriting a collapsing empire and faced with constant warfare during his reign against both the Seljuk Turks in Asia Minor and the Normans in the western Balkans, Alexios was able to halt the Byzantine decline and begin the military, financial, and territorial recovery known as the "Komnenian restoration". His appeals to Western Europe for help against the Turks were also the catalyst that triggered the Crusades.

Alexios I of Trebizond

Alexios I Megas Komnenos or Alexius I Comnenus (Greek: Αλέξιος Α΄ Μέγας Κομνηνός, Alexios I Megas Komnēnos; c. 1182 – February 1, 1222) was Emperor of Trebizond from 1204 to 1222. He was the eldest son of Manuel Komnenos and of Rusudan, daughter of George III of Georgia. He was thus a grandson of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos I. Andronikos was dethroned and killed in 1185. Manuel was blinded at the same time and may well have died; at any rate he disappears from the historical record. He left two children, the Caesars Alexios and David. Their mother Rusudan fled either to Georgia or to the southern coast of the Black Sea.

Alp Arslan

Alp Arslan (1029 – 15 December 1072) was the second sultan of the Seljuk dynasty and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponym of the dynasty. He assumed the name of Muhammad bin Da'ud Chaghri when he embraced Islam, and for his military prowess, personal valour, and fighting skills he obtained the surname Alp Arslan, which means "a valiant lion" in Turkish.

Amalasuntha

Amalasuntha (also known as Amalasuentha, Amalaswintha, Amalasuintha, Amalswinthe or Amalasontha) (ca 495 - 30 April 534/535) was a queen of the Ostrogoths from 526 to 534.

Amalric I of Jerusalem

Amalric I of Jerusalem (also Amaury or Aimery) (1136 – 11 July 1174) was King of Jerusalem 1162–1174, and Count of Jaffa and Ascalon before his accession. Amalric was the second son of Melisende of Jerusalem and Fulk of Jerusalem. He was the father of three rulers of Jerusalem, the eldest Sibylla of Jerusalem, the second Baldwin IV and then Isabella of Jerusalem, who ruled after the Siege. He was also the father of two other children. One, with his first wife Agnes de Courtenay, a child named Alix, who suffered an infant death, and the other with his second wife Maria Comnena, a stillborn.

American Empire

American Empire (American Imperialism) is a term referring to the political, economic, military and cultural influence of the United States. The term has become very controversial in the United States. The concept of an American Empire was first popularized in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898. The sources and proponents of this concept range from classical Marxist theorists of imperialism as a product of capitalism, to modern liberal and conservative theorists opposed to what they take to be aggressive U.S. policy. From its founding, key American leaders viewed with distrust "foreign entanglements" finding safety in non-interventionism.

Anastasius I (emperor)

Flavius Anastasius (Greek: Φλάβιος Ἀναστάσιος) or Anastasius I (Ἀναστάσιος A΄, c. 430/c. 431 – 9 July (some say 8 or 10), 518) was Byzantine Emperor from 11 April 491 until his death. He was born at Dyrrhachium no later than 430/431. Anastasius had one eye black and one eye blue (heterochromia)^[1], from which he was nicknamed Dicorus (Greek: Δίκορος, "two-pupiled").

Ancient Roman music

Less is known about Ancient Roman music than is known about the music of ancient Greece. There is a number of at least partially extant sources on the music of the Greeks. For example, much is known about the theories of Pythagoras and Aristoxenus (some of it from Greek sources and some through the writings of later Roman authors), and there exist about 40 deciphered examples of Greek musical notation. Very little survives about the music of the Romans, however. There are various reasons for this, one of which is that early fathers of the Christian church were aghast at the music of theatre, festivals, and pagan religion and suppressed it once Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire.^[1]^{[page needed]}

Ancient Rome and wine

Ancient Rome played a pivotal role in the history of wine. The earliest influences of viticulture on the Italian peninsula can be traced to Ancient Greeks and Etruscans. The rise of the Roman Empire saw an increase in technology and awareness of winemaking which spread to all parts of the empire. The influence of the Romans has had a profound effect of the histories of today's major winemaking regions of France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. In the hands of the Romans, wine became "democratic" and available to all, from the lowly slave to the simple peasant to the aristocrat. The Romans' belief that wine was a daily necessity of life promoted its widespread availability among all classes. This led to the desire to spread viticulture and wine production to every part of the Roman empire, to ensure steady supplies for Roman soldiers and colonists. Economics also came into play, as Roman merchants saw opportunities for trade with native tribes such as those from Gaul and Germania, bringing Roman influences to these regions before the arrival of the Roman military .^[1] The works of Roman writers—most notably Cato, Columella, Horace, Palladius, Pliny, Varro and Virgil—give insights on the role of wine in Roman culture and contemporary understanding of winemaking and viticultural practices. Many of the techniques and principles first developed in Roman times can be found in modern winemaking.^[2]

Ancient philosophy

This page lists some links to ancient philosophy. In Western philosophy, the spread of Christianity through the Roman Empire marked the end of Hellenistic philosophy and ushered in the beginnings of Medieval philosophy, whereas in Eastern philosophy, the spread of Islam through the Arab Empire marked the end of Old Iranian philosophy and ushered in the beginnings of early Islamic philosophy.

Andronikos III

Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος, Andronikos III Paleologos; March 25, 1297, Constantinople – June 15, 1341, Constantinople) reigned as Byzantine emperor 1328–1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Princess Rita of Armenia (renamed Maria). His maternal grandparents were King Levon II of Armenia and Queen Keran of Armenia.

Andronikos III Palaiologos

Andronikos II Palaiologos

Andronikos II Palaiologos (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Β' Παλαιολόγος) (25 March 1259, Nicaea – February 13, 1332, Constantinople) — also Andronicus II Palaeologus — reigned as Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. He was the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina, grandniece of John III Doukas Vatatzes.

Andronikos I Komnenos

Andronikos I Komnenos or Andronicus I Comnenus (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Α’ Κομνηνός, Andronikos I Komninos; c. 1118 – September 12, 1185) was a Byzantine emperor (r. 1183-1185), son of prince Isaac Komnenos. His paternal grandparents were Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Eirene Doukaina.

Angevin Empire

The term Angevin Empire is a neologism describing the collection of states once ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty. The Plantagenets ruled over an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland during the 12th and early 13th centuries. This "empire" extended over roughly half of medieval France, all of England, and nominally all of Ireland. However, despite the extent of Plantagenet rule, they were defeated by the King of France, Philip II Augustus of the House of Capet, which left the empire split in two, having lost the provinces of Normandy and Anjou. This defeat, after which the ruling Plantagenets retained their English territories and the French province of Gascony, set the scene for the Saintonge and the Hundred Years' War.

Anglo-Saxon England

The history of Anglo-Saxon England covers the history of England from the end of Roman Britain and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the fifth century until the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The fifth and sixth centuries are known archaeologically as Sub-Roman Britain, or in popular history as the 'Dark Ages'; from the sixth century larger distinctive kingdoms are developing, still known to some as the Heptarchy. For most of this period England was split between areas controlled by the Anglo-Saxons and by the British. The arrival of the Vikings at the end of the eighth century brought many changes to Britain. Danish raiders attacked places throughout Britain but their later settlement was restricted to the eastern part of England, while Norwegian raiders (via Ireland) attacked the west coast of both England and Wales. Eventually the Anglo-Saxons gained control of the whole of England though there was a short intermission of Danish control. Relations with the continent were important right up to the end of Anglo-Saxon England, traditionally held to be the Norman Conquest.

Anna Komnene

Anna Komnene, latinized as Comnena (Greek: Άννα Κομνηνή, Anna Komnēnē; December 1, 1083–1153) was a Byzantine princess and scholar, daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina. She wrote the Alexiad, an account of her father's reign, making her one of the first Western female historians.

Anselm of Canterbury

Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033 – 21 April 1109) was an Italian, a Benedictine monk, a philosopher and theologian, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. Called the founder of scholasticism, he is famous in the West as the originator of the ontological argument for the existence of God. In 1720, Anselm was recognized as a Doctor of the Church by Pope Clement XI.

Antioch

Antioch on the Orontes (Greek: Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη; Latin: Antiochia ad Orontem; also Great Antioch or Syrian Antioch; Arabic:انطاکیه) was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.

Apostolic Age

The Apostolic Age of the history of Christianity is traditionally the period of the Twelve Apostles, dating from the Crucifixion of Jesus (c. 26–36) and the Great Commission until the death of John the Apostle (c. 100). Since it is believed that John lived so long and was the last of the twelve to die, there is some overlap between the "Apostolic Age" and the first Apostolic Fathers, whose writings are used to mark the beginning of the Ante-Nicene Period. It holds special significance in Christian tradition as the age of the direct apostles of Jesus Christ. The major primary source for the "Apostolic Age" is the Acts of the Apostles, but its historical accuracy is questioned by some.

Apostolic Palace

The Apostolic Palace (also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican) is the official residence of the Pope which is located in Vatican City.

Apuleius

Apuleius (sometimes called Lucius Apuleius; c. 125 – c. 180) was a Latin prose writer. He was a Romanized Berber,^[1] from Madaurus. He studied Platonist philosophy in Athens; travelled to Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; and was an initiate in several cults or mysteries. The most famous incident in his life was when he was accused of using magic to gain the attentions (and fortune) of a wealthy widow. He declaimed and then distributed a witty tour de force in his own defense before the proconsul and a court of magistrates convened in Sabratha, near Tripoli. This is known as the Apologia.

Aramaic language

Aramaic is a Semitic language belonging to the Afroasiatic language family. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic subfamily, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic group of languages, which also includes Canaanite languages such as Hebrew and Phoenician. Aramaic script was widely adopted for other languages and is ancestral to both the Arabic and Hebrew alphabets.

Arch and Tomb of Galerius

The Arch of Galerius (Modern Greek: τόξο του Γαλερίου or Aψίδα του Γαλερίου) and the Tomb of Galerius (Τάφος του Γαλερίου) are neighboring monuments in the city of Thessaloniki, in the province of Central Macedonia in northern Greece. The Tomb of Galerius is better known as the Rotunda, the Church of Agios Georgios or (in English) the Rotunda of St. George.

Arian controversy

The Arian controversy describes several controversies related to Arianism which divided the Christian church from before the Council of Nicaea in 325 to after the Council of Constantinople in 381. The most important of these controversies concerned the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.

Arianism

Arianism is the theological teaching of Arius (ca. AD 250–336), a Church priest, who was first ruled a heretic at the First Council of Nicea of 325, later exonerated in 335 at the First Synod of Tyre^[1], and then pronounced a heretic again after his death at the First Council of Constantinople of 381^[2]. The Roman Emperors Constantius II (337-361) and Valens (364-378) were Arians or Semi-Arians.

Armenia

Armenia

/ɑrˈmiːniə/ (help·info) (Armenian: Հայաստան, transliterated: Hayastan, IPA: [hɑjɑsˈtɑn]), officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն, Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun, [hɑjɑstɑˈni hɑnɾɑpɛtuˈtʰjun]), is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe,^[8] it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.

Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian: Հայաստանեայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցի, Hayastaneayc’ Aṙak’elakan Ekeġec’i) is the world's oldest National Church^[1]^[2] and is one of the most ancient Christian communities.^[3] Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church. The Armenian Apostolic Church traces its origins to the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in the 1st century.

Armenian language

Russia

USA

France

Georgia

Iran

Ukraine

Argentina

Lebanon

Syria

Turkey

Canada

Abkhazia (not recognized internationally)

Asparukh of Bulgaria

Asparuh or Isperih (Bulgarian: Аспарух, Asparuh or Исперих, Isperih) was ruler of a Bulgar tribe in the second half of the 7th century and is credited with the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 680/681. He is the most famous Bulgar ruler. The accuracy of the Turkic title khan commonly applied to him and his successors is a subject of some dispute.

Astronomy

Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, nebulæ, star clusters and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere (such as the cosmic background radiation). It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of the universe.

Athalaric

Athalaric (516 - 2 October 534) was the King of the Ostrogoths in Italy. The grandson of Theodoric the Great, he became king upon his grandfather's death in 526.

Athanagild

Athanagild (died 567) was Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania. With the help of a Roman force, including a fleet to watch the coasts, sent from Gaul in 551 by the emperor of the eastern Roman empire, Justinian, Athanagild defeated and killed his predecessor, King Agila, near Seville in 554. Athanagild then became king.

Athanasius of Alexandria

Athanasius of Alexandria (Greek: Ἀθανάσιος, Athanásios) (c. 293 – 2 May 373), also given the titles Athanasius the Great, Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, and Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian, bishop of Alexandria, Church Father, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century. He is best remembered for his role in the conflict with Arius and Arianism. At the First Council of Nicaea, Athanasius argued against Arius and his doctrine that Christ is of a distinct substance from the Father.^[1]

Attila the Hun

Attila (pronounced /ˈætɨlə/ or /əˈtɪlə/; 406 – 453), widely known as Attila the Hun, was the Emperor of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea (see map below). During his rule, he was one of the most fearsome of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires' enemies: he invaded the Balkans twice and marched through Gaul (modern France) as far as Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of Chalons. He refrained from attacking either Constantinople or Rome. His story, that the Sword of Attila had come to his hand by miraculous means, was reported by the Roman Priscus.

Auctoritas

Auctoritas is a Latin word and is the origin of English "authority." While historically its use in English was restricted to discussions of the political history of Rome, the beginning of phenomenological philosophy in the twentieth century changed the use of the word substantially.

Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo (pronounced /ˈɔːɡəstiːn/ or /ɒˈɡʌstɨn/)^[1] (Latin: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis;)^[2] (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430), Bishop of Hippo Regius, also known as Augustine or St. Austin,^[3] was a Romanized Berber philosopher and theologian.

Augustus (honorific)

Augustus (plural augusti), Latin for "majestic," "the increaser," or "venerable", was an Ancient Roman title, which was first held by Caesar Augustus and subsequently came to be considered one of the titles of what are now known as the Roman Emperors. The feminine form is Augusta.

Austrian Empire

The Austrian Empire (German: Kaisertum Österreich) was a modern era successor empire founded on a remnant of the Holy Roman Empire centered on what is today's Austria that officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by combining the Royal House with that of Hungary creating the dual monarchy Austria–Hungary (also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867 to 1918), which was itself dissolved by the victors at the end of World War I and broken into separate new states).

Autocracy

An autocracy is a form of government in which one person possesses unlimited power^[1]. An autocrat is a person (as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority^[2]. The term autocrat is derived from the word autokratōr (αὐτοκράτωρ, lit. "self-ruler", or "one who rules by himself"). Compare with oligarchy ("rule by the few") and democracy ("rule by the people").

Auxiliaries (Roman military)

Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports") formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC–284 AD), alongside the citizen legions. By the 2nd century, the auxilia contained the same number of infantry as the legions and in addition provided almost all the Roman army's cavalry and more specialised troops (especially light cavalry and archers). The auxilia thus represented three-fifths of Rome's regular land forces at that time. Like their legionary counterparts, auxiliary recruits were mostly volunteers, not conscripts.

Avignon Papacy

The Avignon Papacy, sometimes derisively referred to as the Babylonian Captivity, was the period from 1309 to 1378 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon (modern-day France). The period was one of conflict and controversy during which French Kings held considerable sway over the Papacy and rulers across Europe felt sidelined by the new French-centric Papal Court.^{[citation needed]} The troubles reached their peak in 1378 when, having returned the Papal court to Rome, Gregory XI died. A conclave met and elected a new pope, Urban VI, who was Italian (though Neapolitan rather than Roman). Pope Urban soon alienated the French cardinals, who held a second conclave electing one of their own, Robert of Geneva to succeed Gregory XI; this alternative pope, along with his successor, is regarded as an antipope by today's Catholic Church. The ecumenical Council of Constance resolved the question of Papal succession and declared the French conclave of 1378 to be invalid. A new Pope, Martin V, was elected in 1417; claimants to succeed to the line of the Avignon Popes (though not resident at Avignon) continued until c. 1437.

Aztec Empire

The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.

Azusa Street Revival

The Azusa Street Revival was a historic Pentecostal revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California, and was led by William J. Seymour, an African American preacher. It began with a meeting on April 14, 1906, at the African Methodist Episcopal Church and continued until roughly 1915. The revival was characterized by ecstatic spiritual experiences accompanied by speaking in tongues, dramatic worship services, and inter-racial mingling. The participants received criticism from secular media and Christian theologians for behaviors considered to be outrageous and unorthodox, especially at the time. Today, the revival is considered by historians to be the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century.

Béla III of Hungary

Béla III (Hungarian: III. Béla, Croatian: Bela III, Slovak: Belo III), (c. 1148 – 23 April 1196), King of Hungary^[1] (1172–1196). He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son. Following the death of his elder brother, who had been fighting against the Byzantine Empire, Béla could only ascend to the throne with the assistance of the Emperor Manuel I and Pope Alexander III, because a significant part of the Hungarian aristocracy led by his own mother and the Archbishop of Esztergom preferred his younger brother's succession. Béla was one of the most powerful rulers of Hungary and he was also one of the most wealthy monarchs of Europe of his age. It was probably he who began to organise the Royal Chancellery in Hungary.

Baldwin I of Constantinople

Baldwin I (July 1172 – c. 1205), the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the greater part of the Byzantine Empire, and the foundation of the Latin Empire, also known as Romania (not to be confused with the modern state Romania).

Balkans

The Balkans (often referred to as the Balkan Peninsula, although the Balkans is larger than the peninsula itself) is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia. The region has a combined area of 550,000 km² (212,000 sq mi) and a population of about 55 million people.

Baptism

In Christianity, baptism (from Greek baptizo: "immersing", "performing ablutions", i.e., "washing")^[1] is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and as a member of the particular Christian tradition in which the baptism is administered.^[2] ^[3]

Basil II

Basil II, later surnamed the Bulgar-slayer (Greek: Βασίλειος Β΄ Βουλγαροκτόνος, Basileios II Boulgaroktonos, 958 – December 15, 1025), known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo is a basilica church in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna (Italy). It was erected by the Ostrogoth King Theodoric as his palace chapel, during the first quarter of the 6th century (as attested in the Liber Pontificalis). This Arian church was originally dedicated to Christ the Redeemer.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe

The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe is an important monument of Byzantine art in Ravenna, Italy. When the UNESCO inscribed eight Ravenna sites on the World Heritage List, it cited this basilica as "an outstanding example of the early Christian basilica in its purity and simplicity of its design and use of space and in the sumptuous nature of its decoration".

Basilika

The Basilika (Greek: (τὰ) Βασιλικά, meaning "(the) imperial (law)") is the name which is used to indicate a code of law issued by the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise. It is an adaptation, written in Greek, of the late classical Justinian code to the conditions of the 9th- and 10th-century Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire. Subdivided into 60 books, the Basilika are a compilation which also includes later laws issued by Leo VI and his predecessor Basil I.

Battle of Acheloos

Coordinates: 42°38′35″N 27°38′12″E / 42.64306°N 27.63667°E:For other battles that took place near Ancialus, see Battle of Anchialus (disambiguation).

Battle of Beroia

The Battle of Beroia (modern Stara Zagora) was fought between the Pechenegs and Emperor John II Komnenos of the Byzantine Empire in the year 1122 in what is now Bulgaria, and resulted in the disappearance of the Pecheneg people as an independent force.

Battle of Bulgarophygon

The battle of Bulgarophygon was fought in the summer of 896 near the town of Babaeski in modern Turkey, between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire.

Battle of Busta Gallorum

At the Battle of Taginae (also known as the Battle of Busta Gallorum) in June/July 552, the forces of the Byzantine Empire under Narses broke the power of the Ostrogoths in Italy, and paved the way for the complete Byzantine conquest of the Italian Peninsula. Like the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, it exemplified the disastrous defeat of a cavalry charge by missile-armed infantry.

Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081)

The Battle of Dyrrhachium (near present-day Durrës in Albania) took place on 18 October 1081, between the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, and the Normans of Southern Italy under Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria. The battle was fought outside the city of Dyrrhachium (also known as Durazzo), the Byzantine capital of Illyria, and ended in a Norman victory.

Battle of Köse Dag

Central Asia (Khwarizm) – Georgia and Armenia – Volga Bulgaria (Samara Bend – Bilär) – Anatolia – Europe (Rus' – Poland – Hungary) – Tibet – Baghdad – Korea – India – Japan (Bun'ei – Kōan) – Vietnam (Bạch Đằng) – China (Jin – Song) – Burma (Ngasaunggyan – Pagan – Bhamo) – Java – Syria – Palestine (Ain Jalut)

Battle of Kosovo

The Battle of Kosovo was a battle fought in 1389 on St Vitus' Day, June 15^[8], between Serbian forces and the Ottoman Empire^[9]^[10], in the Kosovo Field, about 5 kilometers northwest of modern-day Pristina.

Battle of Lalakaon

The Battle of Lalakaon (Greek: Μάχη τοῦ Λαλακάοντος) or Battle of Po(r)son (Greek: Μάχη τοῦ Πό(ρ)σωνος)^[1] was fought in 863 between the Byzantine Empire and an invading Arab army in Paphlagonia (modern northern Turkey). The Byzantine army was led by emperor Michael III's uncle, Petronas the Patrician, although Arab sources also mention the presence of Michael himself, while the Arabs were led by the emir of Melitene (Malatya), Omar al-Aqta.

Battle of Levounion

The Battle of Levounion was the first decisive Byzantine victory of the Komnenian restoration. On April 29, 1091, an invading force of Pechenegs was heavily defeated by the combined forces of the Byzantine Empire under Alexios I Komnenos and his Cuman allies.

Battle of Mons Lactarius

The Battle of Mons Lactarius (also known as Battle of the Vesuvius) took place in 553 during the Gothic War waged on behalf of Justinian I against the Ostrogoths in Italy.

Battle of Nineveh (627)

The Battle of Nineveh was the climactic battle of the last of the Roman-Persian Wars between the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire, in 627. The Byzantine victory broke the power of the Sassanid dynasty and for a period of time restored the empire to its ancient boundaries in the Middle East. This resurgence of power and prestige was not to last, however, as within a matter of decades an Islamic Caliphate emerged from the Arabian desert and once again brought the empire to the brink of destruction.

Battle of Sirmium

The Battle of Sirmium or Battle of Zemun (Hungarian: zimonyi csata) was fought on July 8, 1167 between the Byzantine Empire (also known as Eastern Roman Empire), and the Kingdom of Hungary. The Byzantines achieved a decisive victory, forcing the Hungarians to sue for peace on Byzantine terms.

Battle of Spercheios

The battle of Spercheios (Bulgarian: битка при Сперхей, Greek: Μάχη του Σπερχειού) took place in 997 AD, on the shores of the river of the same name in present-day central Greece. It was fought between a Bulgarian army led by Tsar Samuil, that in the previous year had penetrated far south into Greece, and a Byzantine army under the command of Nikephoros Ouranos.^[1] The Byzantine victory virtually destroyed the Bulgarian army, and stemmed its raids in Macedonia and southern Greece, heralding a reversal of Byzantine fortunes in the prolonged conflict. The major historical source on the battle comes from Greek historian John Skylitzes whose Synopsis of Histories (Σύνοψις Ἱστοριῶν) contains a biography of the then reigning Eastern Roman Emperor, Basil II.

Belisarius

Flavius Belisarius (Greek: Βελισάριος, ca. 500^[1] – 565) was one of the greatest generals of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian I's ambitious project of reconquering much of the old Western Roman Empire, which had been lost just under a century previously.