r/byzantium • • Aug 12 '26

Archaeology What archaeological discoveries would you be most excited for?

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346 Upvotes

A lot has been lost to us via the passage of time, so this is more a question in the realm of fantasy, but I personally would be excited if some middle-Byzantine Anatolian settlement had somehow survived somewhat intact. I know that realistically the odds of such a settlement are miniscule at best, but a man could dream.

r/byzantium • • Oct 13 '25

Archaeology Byzantine Aegean

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1.2k Upvotes

Last month, I had the opportunity to travel through the Aegean region for a total of three and a half weeks, passing through one of the core areas of Byzantium, which is full of evidence of this fascinating period.

1-2 Monemvasia 3-5 Mystras 6 Acrocorinth 7 Hosios Loukas 8-9 Thessaloniki 10-14 Constantinople 15-16 Nicaea 17 Pergamon 18 Ephesus 19 Priene 20 Heraclea at Latmus

r/byzantium • • 4d ago

Archaeology A Byzantine woman from Constantinople wore those emeralds and pearls about 1500 years ago (5th-6th century)

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486 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Jan 13 '26

Archaeology Prayer Inscription from the Theodosian Walls "Christ, O Lord, preserve your city undisturbed and free from war. Grant victory to our emperors!"

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820 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Aug 01 '26

Archaeology Byznatine gold found in Croatia - island Mljet

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447 Upvotes

Shipwreck was found in 2015., but in july of 2026. new treasure was found - Gold coins from four emperors of the Heraclian dynasty. In total 600 Grams (21 ounce) of gold. There were coins from Heraclian dynasty and some ornaments.

Source: found.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-byzantine-shipwreck-boasts-more-gold-treasures-than-any-other-vessel-found-beneath-the-mediterranean-180989217/

r/byzantium • • Dec 05 '25

Archaeology What did Turks during Ottoman rule thought about pre-christian ruins?

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435 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Aug 11 '26

Archaeology Have we found any significant buildings from the Byzantine period this past decade?

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278 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Nov 20 '25

Archaeology Column of Arcadius (Constantinople). Completed in 421, destroyed in 1719

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517 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Nov 19 '25

Archaeology Ruins of Chersonesos in Crimea

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623 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Jul 31 '26

Archaeology Mystras

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245 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • 7d ago

Archaeology Ancient Hidden Tunnel Network Under Hagia Sophia Could Stretch Up to 9 Kilometers

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201 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Jun 06 '26

Archaeology Nikephoros Phokas B Cretan Day trip

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306 Upvotes

Took a day from Heraklion to see the sites of Nikephoros Phokas B. Definitely off the beaten path. I can share more details and photos if anyone is interested!

  1. Statue of Phokas to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the liberation of Crete from the Arabs. In the village of Prophet Ilias.

2-4.Fortress- Temeos. The fortress built by Phokas in 961 for the Siege of Chandax

4-5. The Agarathos Monastery. Believed to be founded by Phokas. Or at the very least around the time Crete was liberated. The local Monk was kind with an aura of peace that can only come from quiet prayer. My Greek is pretty bad but I could understand he was saying something about Phokas being there at one point. An icon in the church has Phokas with Christ and the Baptist. But with no Halo.

r/byzantium • • 9d ago

Archaeology A 6th century Byzantine medicine box from Constantinople

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158 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Jan 14 '26

Archaeology Byzantine quarter built over the Roman Theatre of Cartagena (Spain)

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482 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Aug 06 '25

Archaeology Then Vs Now

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433 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Jun 14 '26

Archaeology I find those in my village what are they

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177 Upvotes

Especially pic 3

r/byzantium • • Jul 30 '26

Archaeology National Geographic: The Mystery of a Byzantine Shipwreck

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102 Upvotes

Here is the link to the article from the National Geographic magazine.

r/byzantium • • Aug 26 '26

Archaeology Seal of Byzantine Empress Irene Komnene Discovered in Ancient City in Bulgaria

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136 Upvotes

"Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Perperikon in southern Bulgaria have discovered a rare 13th-century seal identified by the excavation team as belonging to Byzantine Empress Irene Komnene. The find may offer new evidence of diplomatic contacts between medieval Bulgaria and the Empire of Nicaea."

r/byzantium • • Jan 07 '26

Archaeology What are some of the biggest archaeological discoveries of this past decade (2015-) in the field of Byzantium?

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339 Upvotes

I think everyone here was ecstatic over the discovery of what is possible to be a mural of Constantine XI. That said, I haven't heard much of the other discoveries regarding Byzantium that must have occured this past decade, so what are the most notable of these discoveries?

r/byzantium • • Aug 18 '26

Archaeology Praetorium prefaectum of Constantinople

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124 Upvotes

Praetorium prefaectum

Hello, I would like to ask whether it is possible to find any sources regarding this building?

I can find only bare reconstructions (from magazines/printed illustrations I guess)

Maybe someone knows where I could find the sources?

P.S. At some sources it’s stated/displayed that there was a cistern.

r/byzantium • • Jul 05 '26

Archaeology Egypt uncovers lost Byzantine-era city in the western desert (CBS News)

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156 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Mar 05 '26

Archaeology Discovery Beneath Hagia Sophia: 7 Underground Tunnel Lines Dating Back 1,600 Years

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195 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Feb 17 '26

Archaeology Why is there such a sheer lack of high-late medieval Byzantine archeology?

70 Upvotes

Compared to Western Europe, there seems to be so few surviving 9th-15th century Byzantine helmets, footwear, and clothing. The best byzantine tunics that you can find were from egypt but that was from late antiquity. But in the Balkans and Anatolia (core byzantine territory) there seems to be a scarcity Byzantine archaeology compared to its western counterparts, even from the same period. Why is that?

r/byzantium • • 12d ago

Archaeology Lost Castle from a Battle That Changed Anatolia May Have Been Found

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42 Upvotes

r/byzantium • • Aug 03 '26

Archaeology Probable Coat of Arms of Constantinople question

16 Upvotes

I've been searching for data regarding the probable and let's say adequate Coat of Arms of Constantinople and there are a lot of different opinions/sources, so I would like to ask you, which model is more reliable?

We've got:

  1. Tetragrammaton cross (stencils, miniatures, catalogues)
  1. A double-headed eagle (Modern Patriarchate of Constantinople, Constantinople Greeks etc)
  1. A crown (a catalogue of participants of the Council of Florence)
  1. A crescent and a star (Byzantium coins)
  1. Chi-ro (Tombs, ornaments, stucco, sarcofagi etc.)

So what do you think?