According to the testimony by Theophylaktos Simokates, Shah Khusro II characterized the Persian and Byzantine empires as the two eyes of the earth. This evocative metaphor stands in stark contrast to Khusro’s vigorous attack on Byzantium later in his reign, attempting to take even Constantinople. This paper sets out to contextualize this radical and rapid…
The Church of the East emerged in the Late Antiquity, mainly among the Aramaic-speaking population, and has been understood as a series of Christian communities situated east of the Euphrates River. It was only gradually, by the 5th and 6th centuries, that the Church of the East began to acquire the characteristics of a centralised…
This paper examines how Georgian and Syriac hagiographical traditions depict Christian martyrdom under Zoroastrian rule during Late Antiquity, focusing on the Martyrdom of Saint Eustathius of Mtskheta (6th c.) and the Legend of Mar Qardagh, alongside selected texts from the Syriac Persian Martyr Acts. These narratives, shaped within distinct cultural and linguistic milieus, nonetheless reflect…
The Byzantine and Sassanid Empires were at war with each other in late antiquity, which led to significant conflicts. The 7th-century conflicts were particularly significant, as they led to the Sassanid Empire’s exhaustion. These wars are regarded by historians as the Last Great War of Antiquity. Religion was one of the determining factors in the…
This paper investigates the political and social roles of Armenian noble families (naxarars) in the eastern periphery of the Byzantine world between the 4th and 7th centuries. By focusing on key dynasties such as the Arsacids and the Mamikoneans, Bagratids, it explores how these families navigated between imperial powers—Rome/Byzantium and Persia—and how their local authority,…
At the beginning of the seventh century, the Byzantine Empire had extensive borders, which included important provinces, such as Africa, Egypt, Syria, Palestine and the region of the Black Sea. Τhe influence of Byzantium, as is well known, extended to areas in proximity to these territories as well. Of particular interest is the case of…