I apologize to my readers who only check out my blogs for the Byzantine history. This blog shares information more helpful for authors trying to get traction and sales in the independent publishing market. Don’t worry that this will become a habit – the Byzantines will return shortly! Writers Conference
Susan Weintrob, reader, foodie, and book blogger, recently contacted me after enjoying “Imperial Passions – The Porta Aurea”. She lives in Charleston and has a website, “Expand the Table”, full of both delicious recipes and wonderful book reviews. I can definitely vouch for the recipes! She asked me for an
Above: coins from the Byzantine & Christian Museum in Athens, Greece. Few would argue against calling economics the dismal science. I’m not sure it is a science so much as wishful thinking, especially when it comes to the predictions economists make. However, my day job is in the finance industry,
Venice I took the photo above at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy. The men of the Fourth Crusade absconded with it from Constantinople in about 1204. They are two of the “Four Tetrarchs”, in the highly prized purple porphyry marble. It is now housed above the narthex, or porch
Above: The royal wedding of Alexios I Comnenus and Irene Ducaena. Irene Ducaena was the wife and empress of Alexios I Comnenus, marrying him shortly after he seized the throne on April 1, 1081. Her daughter, the erudite Anna Comnena, wrote glowingly of her mother in her history, The Alexiad
Romanos IV Diogenes – submitting to Alp Aslan after defeat at the Battle of Manzikert Romanos’s Father, Constantine The Diogenes family first came to prominence during the reign of Basil II early in the 11th century. Constantine Diogenes rose through the ranks of the taghmata – the central armies under
For those of you interested in 11th century Byzantium, here is an excerpt from my novel, Imperial Passions – The Porta Aurea. This scene takes place in the church of the great monastery of St. John Stoudion. The monastery was not far from the Porta Aurea (Golden Gate) of Constantinople.
I continue my interview with Professor Lawrence Butler here. He has some great recommendations of places to visit when you’re in Istanbul! (Part 1 can be found here: https://eileenstephenson.com/byzantine-art-a-historians-view-part-1/) Q – Having spent some time in Istanbul, what other buildings do you recommend visiting to learn more about Byzantine architecture,
Professor Lawrence Butler discusses Byzantine architecture in Istanbul.
Imperial Passions #1
The Porta Aurea
Buy Imperial Passions #2
The Great Palace
Byzantine History in the 11th Century
1. You will not receive more than one email from me each month.
2. It may be contentious, but I may discuss Byzantine politics from time to time. Amateurish modern politics will never be discussed.
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