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Ghost Empire

Page 45

by Richard Fidler

Romanus IV Diogenes (Emperor, r. 1068-1071), 278–82

  Romanus Gate. see St Romanus Gate Rome

  ancient (before 330 AD), 21–2, 24, 34–42, 49, 58, 86, 109–10, 113, 138, 440

  author’s note, XV

  author’s visits, 62, 109–10, 247–8

  Catholicism (see Roman Catholic Church)

  Crusades (see Crusades)

  Holy Roman Empire (see Holy Roman Empire)

  Milvian Bridge (see Milvian Bridge)

  population, 131

  relations with Constantinople (330-1453), 2–4, 22, 25–6, 53–4, 80, 88, 114–17, 123, 131, 134, 202, 210, 270, 441, 443

  St Peter’s Basilica, 269–70, 443

  western Empire (331-476), XVII, 22, 74, 114, 365

  Romulus, 86

  Romulus Augustulus (Emperor), XVIII, 4, 8, 74–5

  Ruga (King), 73

  Rule of Four (Tetrarchy), 28–9, 32–5, 358

  Rum (Greek minority), 451

  Rum Papa, 392–3

  Rum, Sultanate of, 282, 368, 443

  Rumeli Hisar (Throat Cutter fortress), XX, 385–9, 401

  runes, 271, 277

  Russia, 12, 14–16, 247, 271–3, 275–6, 361, 371, 417, 437–8, 443–4

  Russian Orthodox Church, 16, 247, 443–4

  S

  St Elmo’s Fire, 418

  St Romanus Gate, 6, 375, 405, 413, 423

  Saladin, 329

  salep, 146–7, 222

  Salman Pak, Iraq, 155

  Santa Claus, 49

  Santorini (Thera), 229, 236–7

  Saracens. see Arabs; Islam

  Sarah (Sarai), 191–4

  Sardinia, 112

  Sassanids, 88–9, 110, 155, 168, 173–4, 176, 301

  Satan (Devil), XIII, 212, 214, 217, 308

  Saturn (god), 5

  Saviour in Chora, St (church)

  map, VIII

  Scandinavians, 271–7

  Scholarians, 99

  Scipio (title), 172

  Scotland. see Britain

  Scourge of God. see Attila the Hun

  Scylitzes, John (historian), 282

  Scylitzes, Madrid, 199, 226

  Sea of Azov, 206

  Sea of Galilee, 174

  Sea of Marmara. see Marmara, Sea of

  sea walls, Constantinople, 63, 221, 225, 228, 232–3, 340, 343, 345, 348–50, 407–11, 432–3

  Second Coming, 19, 179, 216–17, 433

  Seljuk Turks, XIX, 65, 277– 82, 289, 291–2, 294, 296–7, 300, 315, 368

  Senate House, Constantinople, 54, 99, 103, 233

  Senate House, Rome, 58

  senatorial class, 84–5, 161, 200

  senators, 19, 22, 37, 60–1, 67, 75, 79–82, 99, 103, 121, 157, 159, 172, 203, 223, 281

  Seneca, 138

  Septimius Severus (Emperor), XVII Arch of (Rome), 109

  seraphim, 108–10

  Serbia, 27

  Serbs, 14, 65, 370, 381

  Sergius and Bacchus, St (church)

  map, VIII

  Sergius (Patriarch), 158, 161, 167

  Sergius (Pope), 202

  Serica. see China

  Sevastopol

  Sevastopol (Cherson), 204, 207–8, 211

  Seven Sleepers, 61–2

  Seven Wonders of the World, 196

  Severus, 32, 34

  Shahanshah (title), 88–90, 110, 114, 152–6, 159–60, 163, 165. see also Kavadh; Khusrau I; Khusrau II

  Shahrbaraz, 158, 159, 161, 164–7

  Shatranj. see chess

  Shihabettin, 397

  Shi’ites, 279

  Ship of Theseus, XV

  ships. see naval power

  Shirin, 160

  Sibylline Oracles, 36

  Sicily, 21, 111–12, 114–15, 196–7, 246, 274

  silk, 138–41, 204, 265, 293, 303, 355, 450

  Silk Roads, 141, 204, 302, 402

  silkworms (Bombyx mori), 139–40

  Silverius (Pope), 115–16

  Simon of Montfort, 336, 339

  Sisaurana, 125

  Slavs, 15, 174, 201–2, 247, 259, 304, 423

  Sol (sun god), 236

  Solomon, 104, 176, 220

  Sophia (Czarina), 443–4

  Sophia (Empress), 152

  Sophocles, 447

  Soviet Union, 67

  Spain, XVIII, 74, 133, 137, 152, 218, 310, 372, 389, 448

  Sphrantzes, George, 377–8, 381, 404, 419

  Stalin, 67, 135

  Starbucks, 258

  Stauracius, 241–2, 244

  Stephano (first wife of Nicephorus II), 261

  Stephen, St (chapel), 157

  Stephen

  Hagiochristophorites, 322

  Stephen of Novgorod, 371

  Stoudios, 237

  Strategopulus, Alexius, 366–7

  Strouthos, 211

  Suez, 125

  Sulayman bin Abd al-Malik (Caliph), 220–1, 227

  Sulayman (Sultan of Rum), 282

  Sultan (title), 376

  ‘Grand Turk’), 373

  Sultanahmet, 76, 94, 361, 390, 413

  Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), 145–6, 180–1, 234–5

  Sultanahmet Park, 145

  Sunni Islam, 279

  Sura, 123

  Sweden, 272–3

  Syracuse, 197

  Syria

  Arabs, 171–4, 176, 187, 189–90, 195–6, 199, 222, 227, 260

  Crusaders, 297

  Persians, 89, 123, 152, 157–8, 166

  Roman rule, XVIII, XIX, 3, 89, 123, 152, 157–8, 166, 171–4, 176, 260, 278, 289

  Turks, 278, 289, 297

  Syriac Church, 51

  Syriac language, 300

  T

  Tafur, Pedro, 372–3

  Taginae, battle of, 135

  Taksim Square, 94, 412–13

  Tamerlane, 67

  Tang dynasty (China), 301

  Tariq ibn-Ziyad, 218

  Tarsus, 107, 186

  Taurus Mountains, 156, 175, 222

  taxis, 324–5, 453

  technology. see engineering

  Tengri (god), 205

  Tervel (Bulgar khagan), 208–10, 224, 229

  Tetaldi, Giacomo, 432

  tetrarchy (Rule of Four), 28–9, 32–5, 358

  Theodora (wife of Constantius Chlorus, m. 289), 28

  Theodora (Empress, wife of Justinian I, r. 527-542), XIII, XVIII, 81–6, 99–101, 103, 111–12, 115, 118, 123–4, 130, 132, 134–5, 233, 240

  Theodora of Khazaria (Empress, wife of Justinian II the Slit-Nose, m. 703), 206–7, 210–11

  Theodora (wife of John Tzimisces, fl. 972), 268

  Theodora Comnena (widow of Baldwin III), 318–19, 323

  Theodora (Empress-Regent, fl. 855), 305

  Theodore (brother of Heraclius, fl. 610-636), 164

  Theodore (abbot of Stoudios, fl. 726), 237

  Theodosian Walls

  defence of Constantinople, 5–6, 64–6, 154, 157, 162, 164, 209, 221, 223–4, 227–8, 296

  gates, 12, 64, 224, 228, 351, 367, 373–4, 384, 387–8, 406

  map, VIII

  Theodosian Walls: timeline

  construction (413), XIV, XVII, 63

  repaired (447), XVII, 69–70

  First Crusade (1095-96), 291

  Fourth Crusade (1204), 338, 343, 348–9, 355

  Roman Empire restored (1261-1453), 367, 373, 381, 386, 395–7

  Ottoman siege & fall of Constantinople (1453), 2–3, 7, 402–3, 405–7, 409, 413–16, 418–27, 431, 434, 436

  modern Istanbul, 23, 62, 64, 361–4, 374–5, 384–5

  Theodosius I the Great (Emperor) (r. 379-395, XVII, 60

  Theodosius II (Emperor) (r. 408-450), 63, 69–71, 135

  Theodosius III (Emperor) (r. 751-717), 221, 223

  Theodosius (adopted son of Belisarius and Antonina) (fl. 530), 124

  Theodote (2nd wife of Constantine VI), 243

  theology, Christian, 5, 43–7, 219, 299, 393

  Theophanes the Confessor (his
torian), 211–12, 239, 243

  Theophano (Anastaso) (wife of Romanus III and Nicephorus II), 260–1, 265–8

  Theophanu (wife of Otto II), 268–70

  Theophilos the Pig, 147

  theosis, 13, 105, 324, 445, 453

  Thera (Santorini), 229, 236–7

  Theseus, Ship of, XV Thessalonica, 201

  Thessaly, 104

  Thomas, St, 298

  Thoros of Armenia, 318

  Thrace. see also Edirne (Adrianople)

  Arabs in, 225

  Avars in, 154

  Bulgars in, 201, 209

  Huns in, 69, 133

  Roman Empire in, 12, 42, 69, 154, 195, 201, 241, 246, 324, 366

  Slavs in, 201

  Turks in, 289, 370, 384

  Vikings in, 278

  Thracian mercenaries, 102

  Throat Cutter fortress (Rumeli Hisar, Bogaz Kezen), XX, 385–9, 401

  Thucydides, 447

  Tiber River, XV, 37, 54, 116

  Tiberius (ancient Roman Emperor), 22

  Tiberius (Byzantine Emperor), 152

  Tiberius (son of Justinian II and Theodora), 207, 210–11

  Tigris River, 88, 125, 165, 297

  timeline, XVII–XX Topkapi Palace, 391

  Totila, 131, 133

  Totius Orbis Imperator (title), 16

  Tower of Babel, XIV, 298, 300

  Tower of Darkness, 166

  trade & commerce

  Arabs, 173, 187–8

  Constantinople, 12, 54, 70, 315, 320, 367

  Mongols, 302

  Ottomans, 437, 448

  plague, 127

  silk, 139

  Venetians & Genoese, 11, 72, 315, 320, 327–8, 332, 340, 353, 365–7, 403, 432

  Treaty of Eternal Peace, 110, 123

  Trebizond, 162, 319, 365

  Tribonian, 86–7, 99

  Trier, 42, 56

  Trinity. see Holy Trinity

  Triumphs, 113, 122, 134

  Troy, 54, 440

  True Cross, 12, 50, 159, 163–4, 166–7, 170, 172, 176, 211, 364

  Tsarigrad (Constantinople), 14

  Turin, 36

  Turkey

  Ottoman, 362 (see also Ottoman Empire)

  modern, 94–8, 135–6, 147–51, 198, 222, 234, 257, 271, 285, 360, 363, 374–5, 451

  Turkish coffee, 148–9, 437

  Turkish language, XV, 149, 205, 373, 399, 436

  Turks, 66, 205, 259, 331, 394, 437, 439, 448, 451

  Ottoman, XIX–XX, 2, 6–8, 357, 359, 368–71, 373, 375–89, 397–416, 418–19, 431–5

  Seljuk, XIX, 65, 277–82, 289, 291–2, 294, 296–7, 300, 315, 368

  Tuscany, 117

  Twitter, 94, 136, 151

  Tyrrhenian Sea, 116

  Tzazo, 112

  Tzykanisterion, 232–3

  U

  Ukraine, 204, 248

  Ulpion, 86

  Umar I (2nd Caliph, r. 634-644), 176, 189

  Umar II (Caliph, r. 717-720), 228–9

  Umayyads, 218, 230

  umma, 189

  United States, 49, 87, 97, 106, 110, 149, 182

  Urban II (Pope), XIX, 283, 289–91

  Urban (metalsmith), 49

  Uthman (Caliph), 195

  Utus River, 69

  Uz mercenaries, 279

  V

  Vahan, 174–5

  Valens (Emperor), 60

  Valentinian III (Emperor), 66–7, 71–2

  Valley of the Springs, 410–11

  Vandals, 74, 111–12, 114

  Vanuatu, 418

  Varangian Guard, 14, 256, 267, 271–4, 277, 343, 346, 351

  Vasilli II (Czar), 444

  Vatican library, 83

  Venice

  Byzantines in, 448

  Crusaders and, XII, 326–40, 342–51, 353–9, 365–7

  foundation, 72–3

  humanism, 447

  merchants & trade, 11, 315, 320, 353

  Ottomans and, 367–70, 386, 388, 403–4, 411, 420–1, 427, 432, 442

  shipping, 17, 262, 300

  Venus (goddess), 50

  Verne, Jules, 304

  Verona, 72

  Vespasian (Emperor), XVII

  Vesuvius, mount, 133

  Via Flaminia, 36

  vicarius (title), 29

  Vietnamese fish sauce, 199

  Vigilantia, 78

  Vikings, 14, 256, 267, 271, 274–7, 346

  Villehardouin, Geoffrey de, XI–XII, 326, 329–33, 340–1, 344, 346, 351, 355

  Virgin Mary, XIII, 108, 156, 165, 221, 227, 230, 308–10, 312, 314, 416–17, 419. see also Hodegetria

  Visigoths, 74, 133, 137, 152

  Vitiges, XVII, 115–23

  Vlachs, 317

  Vladimir, Prince of Kiev, 15–16, 247

  volcanic eruptions, 125, 133, 229, 236–7, 418–19

  Volga River, 205

  Voltaire, 183

  W

  Wadi-ur-Ruqqad, 174–5

  Walls of Theodosius. see Theodosian Walls

  water cisterns, 9, 142–4, 209. see also aqueducts

  Weh Antiok Khusrau, 124

  Wells, H.G., 304

  west Africa, 448

  western Asia, 88, 167

  western Empire. see Roman Empire of the West

  western Europe

  after fall of Constantinople (1453), 5, 448–9

  Byzantine Empire and, 11, 13, 257, 370, 382, 392, 403

  chess, 168

  Crusades, 290, 293, 329, 348, 356–7

  Holy Roman Empire, 245, 270

  William of the Long Sword, 333

  women

  Constantinople, 11, 66, 78, 81, 86, 236, 247, 261, 265, 278, 286, 308–9, 323–4, 423, 431–2, 434, 449 (see also Empresses)

  Crusades, 291, 352–5

  folktales, 258

  Istanbul, 95, 136

  Orthodox Church, 452

  Ottomans, 402

  Prester John, 298

  Woods, David, 56

  World War I, 66, 150

  World War II, 67

  Wright, Frank Lloyd, 77

  X

  Xi’an, 139, 301

  Y

  Yahweh. see God

  Yarmouk (Hieromyax), battle of (636), XVIII, 174–5, 177–8

  Yaroslav (cousin of Andonicus), 317

  Yaroslav (Grand Prince), 273, 275

  Yathrib. see Medina

  Yazdegerd III (shah), 174, 176

  Yazid II (Caliph), 237

  Yeats, William Butler, 449–50

  Yedikule (Fortress of the Seven Towers), 363–4

  Yelü Dashi (Great Khan), 300

  Yeribati, 141–4

  Yersinia pestis, 126–8, 133

  Yuhanan, 300

  Z

  Zaganos Pasha, 397, 399

  Zara (Zadar, Croatia), 334–7

  Zeno (Emperor), 75

  Zeus (god), 236, 440

  Zoe (Empress), 274–5

  Zoe Palaeologus, 443

  Zoroaster, 160

  Zoroastrianism, 89, 155, 160–1, 163

  Zosimus, 55

  About the Author

  RICHARD FIDLER presents CONVERSATIONS WITH RICHARD FIDLER, an in-depth, up close and personal interview program broadcast across Australia on ABC Local Radio. He’s interviewed prime ministers, astronauts, writers and scientists, but just as often Richard explores the lives of remarkable people who are unknown to the wider world. The program is among the most popular podcasts in Australia, with over a million downloads every month. In another life Richard was a member of Australian comedy trio The Doug Anthony Allstars (DAAS), which played to audiences all over the world.

  Copyright

  The ABC ‘Wave’ device is a trademark of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and is used under licence by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia.

  First published in 2016

  by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited

  ABN 36 009 913 517

  harpercollins.com.au

  Copyright © Rich
ard Fidler, 2016

  Richard Fidler asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. This work is copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  HarperCollinsPublishers

  Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

  Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand

  A 53, Sector 57, Noida, UP, India

  1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF, United Kingdom

  2 Bloor Street East, 20th floor, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8, Canada

  195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007, USA

  ISBN: 978 0 7333 3525 9 (hardback)

  ISBN: 978 1 4607 0691 6 (ebook)

  National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

  Fidler, Richard, 1964- author.

  Ghost empire / Richard Fidler.

  Notes: Includes index.

  Subjects: Fidler, Richard – Travel – Turkey – Istanbul.

  Byzantine Empire – History.

  949.5013

  Epigraph on page vii from Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco, translated by William Weaver.

  Published by Secker & Warburg and reproduced by permission of The Random House Group Ltd.

  Cover design by Darren Holt, HarperCollins Studio and Richard Fidler

  Front cover image: Plate CCXLIX ‘Constantinople’, Nuremberg Chronicle, 1453

  Maps by John Frith, Flat Earth Mapping

  *Not to be confused with the modern eastern European nation of the same name, which the Romans knew as the troublesome province of Dacia.

  *The highest priced commodity was purple-dyed silk, set at a ceiling of 150,000 denarii per pound, a little higher than the price set for the purchase of a lion.

  *A haruspex often wore a tall, conical cap for the ceremony; this is perhaps the origin of the stereotypical wizard’s hat.

  *By way of example, the seated figure of Abraham Lincoln within the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC is just over five-and-a-half metres high, less than half the height of the colossus of Constantine.

  *‘Ecumenical’ meaning ‘worldwide’.

  †‘Arians’ here refers to the followers of Arius and shouldn’t be confused with the Iranian term ‘Aryan’, which would later be co-opted by Nazi racial ideology.

  *Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Egyptian Coptic, Syriac and Ethiopian Orthodox. The Protestants don’t get a look-in.

  *The Aqueduct of Valens remains one of Istanbul’s most imposing landmarks. Its arches straddle the busy traffic lanes of Ataturk Boulevard today.

 

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