Category: Glossary of Byzantine Terms

Romania: ‘land of the Romans’ (i.e. Byzantines); by the seventh century, a term for the Christian...

Alloy containing silver and gold in a Byzantine coin.

Armeniakoi: one of the earliest themes; based in northern Anatolia with headquarters at Euchaita.

Turkic-speaking nomadic warriors who appeared in the north Black Sea steppe in the sixth century,...

Scyths: Classical name for Iranian-speaking nomads of Black Sea steppes; used by Byzantines of se...

Opsikion: one of the earliest themes to emerge; based in north-west Asia Minor, closest to Consta...

Zealots: strongly iconophile monks in the late eighth to tenth century; midfourteenth century gro...

Vlachs: Romance-language-speaking pastoral inhabitants of eastern and south-eastern Europe, desce...

Theotokos ‘god-bearing’ (from theos ‘god’ and tokos ‘bringing forth’): description of the Virgin ...

Ecloga: “Selections” from Roman law, interpreted in the light of its own time and codifi ed as a ...

Rupenids: First dynasty to rule Armenian Cilicia, from the late eleventh to early thirteenth cent...

Hexagram: Silver coin introduced by Heraclius, lit. “six grams,” 12 to a nomisma. Although issued...

Pronouncements on Christ’s nature of Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria, endorsed by the council of Ch...

Praetorian Prefecture: The largest administrative unit of the empire from the time of Constantine...

Diadem: originally a head-band, then imperial Roman symbol of majesty from the fourth century on;...

Thelematarioi: “Volunteers,” soldiers/watchmen who served on the basis of grants of land given by...

Sasanians: Persian ruling dynasty which overthrew the Parthian Arsacid dynasty in the early third...

Charistikiarios: A person or institution that was granted administrative responsibilities over a ...

Nomisma: Lat. solidus, the gold coin introduced by Constantine I which remained the basis for the...

Koinobion: A type of monastery which emphasized a communal lifestyle, including attendance at chu...