Chronological Overview 284-305 Diocletian and the tetrarchy 565-591 Wars with Persia 306-337 Constantine I (sole ruler from 324) 566 + Slavs begin to infiltrate across Danube frontier; pressure 311 Edict of toleration issued by Galerius on frontier fortresses from Avars 312 Constantine's victory at the Milvian bridge 568+ Lombards driven westward from Danube, invade Italy 313 Edict of toleration issued by Constantine and Licinius 572 Lombards besiege Ravenna 325 Council of Nicaea and condemnation of Arianism (first 577 Major invasion of Balkans led by Avars ecumenical council) 584, 586 Avaro-Slav attacks on Thessalonica 330 Consecration of Constantinople 591-602 Gradual success in pushing Avars back across Danube 337 Baptism and death of Constantine I 602 Maurice overthrown, Phokas proclaimed emperor 361-363 Julian the Apostate leads pagan reaction and attempts to 603 War with Persia; situation in Balkans deteriorates limit the influence of Christianity 610 Phokas overthrown by Heraclius, son of exarch of Africa 364 Jovian dies: empire divided between Valentinian 1 (West) at Carthage and Valens (East) 611-620s Central and northern Balkans lost 378 Defeat and death of Valens at hands of Visigoths at battle 614-619 Persians occupy Syria, Palestine and Egypt of Adrianople 622 Mohammed leaves Mecca for Medina (the 'Hijra') 381 First Council of Constantinople (second ecumenical 622-627 Heraclius campaigns in east against Persians council): reaffirms rejection of Arianism; asserts right of 626 Combined Avaro-Slav and Persian siege of Constantinople Constantinopolitan patriarchate to take precedence after fails Rome 626-628 Heraclius defeats Persian forces in east 395 Death of Theodosius I and division of empire into eastern 629 Peace with Persia and western parts again 634+ Arabs begin raids into Palestine 410 Visigoths sack Rome 634-646 Arab conquest and occupation of Syria, Palestine, 413 Construction of Theodosian land walls of Mesopotamia, Egypt (636 - battle of Gabitha/Yarmuk) Constantinople 638 Ekthesis of Heraclius: attempt to reconcile Monophysites 429-533 Vandal kingdom in North Africa and Chalcedonians 431 Council of Ephesus, rejection of Nestorianism (third 644+ Beginning of long-term raids and plundering expeditions ecumenical council) against Byzantine Asia Minor 449 Council of Ephesus ('robber council') 648 Typos of Constans II. Imperial enforcement of 450/451 Council of Chalcedon, defeat of Monophysitism (fourth Monotheletism ecumenical council) 649 Lateran synod in Rome; Maximus Confessor and Pope 450 Attila and Huns defeated at Chalons Martin reject imperial Monotheletism 455 Sack of Rome by Vandals 653 Martin and Maximus arrested by exarch Theodore 476 Deposition of Romulus Augustulus by Master of Soldiers, Calliopas and sent to Constantinople Odoacer. End ofthe Western Roman empire 655 Martin and Maximus found guilty of treason and exiled. 4X8 Ostrogoths under Theoderic march into Italy Sea battle of Phoenix, Byzantines defeated 493-526 Theoderic rules Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy 662 Constans II leads expedition through Balkans into Italy, 507-711 Kingdom of Visigoths in Spain takes up residence in Sicily 529 Justinian closes Academy of Athens; Codex Justinianus 668 Constans assassinated; Mizizios proclaimed emperor in completed Sicily, but defeated by forces loyal to Constantine IV 532 'Nika' riot in Constantinople 674-678 Arab blockade and yearly sieges of Constantinople. First 533-534 Belisarius reconquers Africa (pacification completed in recorded use of 'liquid fire', to destroy Arab fleet 540s); Pandects or Digest completed 679-680 Arrival of Bulgars on Danube; defeat of Byzantine forces 534 Belisarius begins reconquest of Italy (war lasts until under Constantine IV 553) 680-681 Third Council of Constantinople. Monotheletism rejected 537 Dedication ofthe new church ofthe Holy Wisdom (Hagia (sixth ecumenical council) Sophia) in Constantinople 685-692 Truce between caliphate and Byzantium (Arab civil 540 Persian king Chosroes I takes Antioch in Syria war) 542+ Plague in the Byzantine world 691-692 Quinisext or Trullan council at Constantinople. Canons 550+ Avars establish hegemony over Slavs north of Black Sea partly rejected by papacy and Danube 693 Byzantine defeat at Sebastoupolis 552 Narses defeats Totila and last Ostrogothic resistance in 698 Carthage falls to Arabs; final loss of Africa Italy 717-718 Siege of Constantinople; Leo, general of Anatolikon, 553 Second Council of Constantinople (fifth ecumenical seizes power and crowned as Leo III council): Three Chapters condemned, concessions to 726 Volcanic eruption on Thera/Santorini, leading Leo to adopt Monophysites. iconoclastic ideas 553+ Reconquest of South-east Spain from Visigoths 730 Patriarch Germanus resigns; probable beginning of public 558 Treaty with Avars and agreement to pay 'subsidies' policy of iconoclasm 562 'Fifty-year peace' signed with Persia 739/740 Leo and Constantine defeat Arab column at Akroinon CHRONOLOGICAL OVERVIEW 167 739 Earthquake hits Constantinople 963+ Major Byzantine offensives in east, creation of new 741 Artabasdos, Leo's son-in-law, rebels against Constantine frontier regions V and seizes Constantinople 965 Nikephoros II captures Tarsus and Cyprus 743/4 Artabasdos defeated 969 Nikephoros II captures Aleppo and Antioch 746+ Plague in Constantinople 969-976 Reign of John I Tzimiskes. Continuation of eastern 750 Abbasid revolution, removal of Umayyads from power, expansion; defeat of Bulgars with help of Rus' allies under capital of Caliphate moved to Baghdad. Svyatoslav; defeat of Rus' at Silistra (971) 751/752 Constantine V begins publicly preaching in favour of 975 John I invades Palestine, takes several towns and fortresses, iconoclasm but withdraws 754 Iconoclast Council of Hiereia (claims to be seventh 985+ Bulgar resistance in western Balkans leads to growth of ecumenical council) first Bulgarian empire under Tsar Samuel 750s-770s Constantine launches major expeditions against Bulgars 989 Conversion of Vladimir of Kiev to Christianity and Arabs 990-1019 Basil II crushes Bulgar resistance; Bulgaria re-incorporated 786 Eirene attempts to hold seventh ecumenical council in into empire, Danube new frontier in North Constantinople. Council abandoned due to opposition of 1022 Armenian territories annexed to empire iconoclast soldiers 1034-1041 Michael IV takes first steps in debasement of gold 787 Second Council of Nicaea (seventh ecumenical council). currency Iconoclasm rejected and condemned 1054 Schism with papacy 792 Byzantines under Constantine VI defeated by Bulgars at 1055 Seljuks take Baghdad; Norman power in southern Italy Markellai expanding 797 Constantine VI deposed by mother Irene; blinded and 1070+ Major Pecheneg advances into Balkans; civil war within dies empire 800 Coronation of Charlemagne by pope in St Peter's, 1071 Romanos IV defeated and captured at Mantzikert by Rome Seljuks; beginning of Turk occupation of central Anatolia; 802 Irene deposed by chief finance minister Nikephoros Normans take Bari (Nikephoros 1) 1081 Alexios Komnenos rebels and defeats Nikephoros III and 811 Nikephoros defeated and killed by forces under Khan is crowned emperor Krum after initially successful campaign in Bulgaria 1081-1085 Norman invasion of western Balkan provinces 813 Bulgar victories over Byzantine forces 1082-1084 Commercial privileges granted to Venice 815 Leo V convenes synod at Constantinople; iconoclasm 1091 Seljuk-Pecheneg siege of Constantinople; defeat of reintroduced as official policy Pechenegs 821-823 Rebellion of Thomas 'the Slav' 1092 Coinage reform carried out by Alexios I 824+ Beginning of Arab conquest of Sicily and of Crete 1094 Synod held at Blachernae to decide the issue of Leo of 826 Theodore of Stoudion dies Chalcedon, a hard line opponent ofthe church's decision 838 Arab invasion of Asia Minor; siege and sack of to melt down ecclesiastical treasures to aid the imperial Amorion treasury. Deposed by the permanent synod in 1086, this 843 Council held in Constantinople to reaffirm acts of seventh council reinstated him after he was reconciled to the ecumenical council. Empress regent Theodora and chief official church position. courtiers restore images; end of official iconoclasm 1097+ First Crusade; Seljuks defeated 850s Missionary activity in Bulgaria 1098/1099 Jerusalem captured; Latin principalities and Kingdom of 860 Rus' (Viking) attack on Constantinople; mission to Jerusalem established in Palestine and Syria Khazars of St Cyril 1108 Alexios defeats Normans under Bohemund 863 Major Byzantine victory over Arabs at Poson in 1111 Commercial privileges granted to Pisa Anatolia 1130s Alliance with German empire against Normans of south 864 Conversion of Bulgar Khan and leaders Italy 869-870 Council convoked by Basil I at Constantinople to settle 1138-1142 Byzantine confrontation with Crusader principality of Photian schism: Photios deposed, Ignatios, his predecessor, Antioch reinstated. Bulgaria placed under Constantinopolitan 1143-1180 Manuel I Komnenos: pro-western politics become major ecclesiastical jurisdiction (contrary to papal demands) factor in Byzantine foreign policy 879-880 Acts of council of 869-870 annulled, Photios reinstated. 1146-1148 Second Crusade Recognised in Rome, schism ended 1153 Treaty of Constanz between Frederick I (Barbarossa) and 900+ Final loss of Sicily; Bulgar expansionism under Tsar papacy against Byzantium Symeon; war with Byzantines 1155-1157 Successful imperial campaign in Italy; commercial and 917 Bulgar victory at river Achelo political negotiations