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Imperator Invictus
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Topic: Greatest Emperor (of Byzantium) Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 22:35 |
The Greatest Emperor poll goes to Byzantium. Coming up with a list of
nominees was a bit harder than doing so for the Roman Empire because
Byzantium lasted 11 centuries compared to Rome's 5. It seemed like
there were a few "really famous" emperors, but it was hard filling in
the rest of the list. I really don't think this list is very good as a
top 9. An interesting person that I thought much of including was
Irene. Although she was an empress, she titled herself "emperor"
therefore especially fitful to this poll in a peculiar way.
Justinian
To western scholars, one of the most famous emperors. Often times, the
history of Rome is extended to Justinian, reconquered a good part of
the fallen western Empire and was the last burst of Imperial glory
(..."and then after that, Byzantium survived declining until 1453 under
anonymous emperors..."). In a list of Roman emperors, he is
sometimes the last one listed, rather than Romulus Augustulus. The main
problem with his reconqust was that it was only for the feel and was
geographically illogical. As a result, he had to pay off the Persians
with a huge annual tribute in order to wage his reconquest without
warring the Persians. At the end of his reign, the empire was bankrupt.
However, during his reign, he was also skillful at legal
administration. His "Justinian's code" was so clear that it became a
model for future legal codes. On the other hand, Justinian was very
reliant on his wife Theodora in running the empire, most notably in
resolving the hippodrome crisis.
Heraclius
He was an unlikely one to rule the empire, but he rose to the throne
and deposed the wretched Phocas. During the reign of Phocas, Byzantium
lost many territories to foreign powers: the southern part was lost to
Persians and the north to Avars. Heraclius overturned these with four
sucessful campaigns against the Sassanid. However, this campaign proved
fatal to both Byzantium and Persia as it weakened them both for Arab
conquest. The lands reconquered were soon lost to Arabs. The plunder
gained was already used to pay soldiers and the empire. Nonetheless,
during his triumphs, he was regarded as a great hero, and cannot really
take the blame for the defeats against the Arabs because he did not
command the army against them. Heraclius also switched the language
from latin to Greek. Heraclius is credited with creating the Theme
system of organizing the empire.
Some of the bios are gonna be short. Sorry, but I'm just running low on time.
Leo III
The third "Leo" was the first emperor of the Isaurian dynasty. His
greatest accomplishment during his reign was the repulse of the massive
Ummayad attack on constantinople. On the other hand, Leo was known for
his iconoclasity, which IMO was an ultimate failure because it hurt the
relation between Constantinople and Italy.
Basil I
Although overshadowed by Basil II, Basil I was a crucial emperor to
Byzantium. His dynasty ruled the empire at its high point, largely due
to Basil I's skillful administration of the empire's law code and
finances. He is remembered today also in a rarely preserved "picture
book".
John Tzimisces
He won victories against the Abassid and reconquered territories north
of the capital. An intersting trivia is that his daughter was the first
byzantine to marry with the Holy Roman Empire line.
Basil II
One of the most famous emperors, Basil fully restored the empire from
crisis to a height in five centuries. At the time, the Bulgars still
held much of the balkins. After a long war, Basil defeated the Bulars,
with a slaughter so intense that he took the title "Bulgar Slayer". His
other victories including restoring Byzantine power to armenia and
souther Italy. Few emperors manipulated the army as skilfully as Basil.
He ruled with simple austerity. He even scorned the use of jewels and
wore a simple outfit. Basil improved the contact with Rus into an
alliance with a marriage of his daught to Prince Vladmir. This led to
his baptism, and the alliance with Rus became crucial to the Byzantine
military. From another perspective, Basil's rule was important because
it lasted half a centuries. Few emperors can claim to have ruled
gloriously for that long. Basil's Byzantium is considered by many to be
at its height.
John Ducas
After the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders, the Nicean
sucessor state became the most powerful, largely due to the skillful
administration and military leadership of John Ducas.
Michael VIII Palaeologus
Emperor of Nicea, he recaptured Constantinople and founded the Palaeologus dynasty.
Manuel II Palaeologus
An admirable character who ruled a decaying state. He travelled across
europe in person to enlist the support of the west for the Byzantines.
This was unsucessful, but after Tamerlane's victory at Ankara, he was
able to make peace with the Ottomans. Manuel was a most intellectual
emperor who wrote a varitey of works.
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Ptolemy
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Posted: 13-Aug-2004 at 23:30 |
I put my vote for Justinian because he knew how to pick a good general. He was quite a good emperor and oversaw a major expansion of the empire. He also oversaw the building of the Hagia Sofia which is one of the Roman Empires greatest marvels.
Some remarks:
You should mention that Heraclius didn't lose Asia minor, which he conquered from the Persians. As well he invited (I think) the Croats and Serbs to conquer the Avars. While this was a temporary solution, it may have hurt the empire in the long run. Also, by placing Cyrus as the Patriarch of Alexandria (who ruthlessly persecuted the 'monophysite' majority in Egypt) he created an Ally for the Arabs.
Also, I think Nicephoras (II?) Phocas should up there. He wasn't completely succesful, but he set up the stage for Basil II.
Edited by Ptolemy
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Jr_Capablanca
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Posted: 14-Aug-2004 at 16:59 |
Hello!
For me, it wasn`t difficult: Justinian II. Remeber he didn`t only fought succesful wars, he also wrote a new code of laws.
/Capa
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Dari
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 17:04 |
Rome lasted from 509 BC to 476 CE. Khan, your a little off.
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Dari is a pimp master
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JanusRook
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Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 19:57 |
Not even close, Justinian all the way.
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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Lannes
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 20:34 |
Originally posted by Dari
Rome lasted from 509 BC to 476 CE. Khan, your a little off. |
Well, if we go by the traditional founding date for Rome, you're way off(753 BC).
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τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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Tobodai
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 21:47 |
yes Justinian had a great general but he treated him like crap and it always makes me mad when I read about it!
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Genghis
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Posted: 15-Aug-2004 at 21:54 |
When were all of Justinian's conquests lost?
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Degredado
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 02:38 |
What about Alexius Comnenus?
Edited by Degredado
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Vou votar nas putas. Estou farto de votar nos filhos delas
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Rebelsoul
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 06:46 |
Basil. Great emperor, great soldier, great general, great administrator... Alexios Comnenos (why is he not in the poll???) is my #2 and Heraclius a relatively close #3.
Justinian had many ups and good sides (reconquista, code of laws, Hagia Sophia etc. etc.) but he also stretched the empire to its limits, instead of consolidating its power, abandoned the countryside and ravaged the imperial economy to found his conquest (and his extremely spendworthy court). So, no, he is not one of the best Byzantine empires in my opinion.
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ihsan
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 13:30 |
Definitially Basileios II Bulgaroktonos.
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Jr_Capablanca
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 15:43 |
Hello!
"Rome lasted from 509 BC to 476 CE. Khan, your a little off."
Not even the ending date is undebated. You can set the ending to 410 AD, when the goths sacked rome. Or you can also say that the western roman empire survived a to around 480 AD, because rome wasn`t the capital when it fell in 476. Some areas were still loyal to the old western empire a few yers after 476.
/Capa
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ihsan
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 17:03 |
The Roman Empire politicially ended at May 29, 1453.
Culturally, by the 7th century...
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Imperator Invictus
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 18:03 |
I think he was referring to my Roman poll where I accidently put the date for the emperors as (-473),
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Tonifranz
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 19:21 |
Justinian. Conquered a large part of the Western Roman Empire.
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Scythian
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Posted: 16-Aug-2004 at 22:06 |
Justinian was sort of an asshole, he wasn't that much a succesful
emperor as he had lots of luck, and his rule deteriorated the empire
instead of improving it after his death. Belisarius is the one who made
those glorious victories.
So, I vote for Basil II.
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Yiannis
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 04:43 |
Agree with Skyth (as usual :-)
Justinian ruined the state's economy with his megalomaniac pursuits. Not to mention that most of his conquests were lost soon after.
But he did built Agia Sophia, married a whore and codified Law (his code is still the basis of law in most western countries today) and for all those he will be eternally remembered...
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The basis of a democratic state is liberty. Aristotle, Politics
Those that can give up essential liberty to obtain a temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin
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Master of Puppets
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 09:35 |
Hm... Difficult again. Basil II was great, but he was lucky to have a relatively quiet Eastern Front (unlike Heraclius, (duh )). When I was reading the Oxford History of Byzantium I found Michael VIII pretty smart too. And there still are Justian and Heraclius of course... Hm...
Btw, maybe KhaKhan was just referring to the Roman Empire as an Empire being ruled by Emperors? That lasted 5 centuries.
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Wherever I turn, there is Death.
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Imperatore Dario I
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 10:22 |
Erm, I hope someone can explain to me how is it that the Roman Empire was only 500 years while the East was in for a 1000 years. Rome began in the 800s BC (and is now being estimated to be a century earlier than that), and the Roman Empire lasted until 476 (West), which, IIRC, is a lot more than 500 years. Also, the Eastern Roman Empire survived until the fall of Constantinople in 1453, but, like Ihsan said, it's culture fell in the 7th century.
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Let there be a race of Romans with the strength of Italian courage.- Virgil's Aeneid
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ihsan
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Posted: 17-Aug-2004 at 11:26 |
Originally posted by Master of Puppets
Basil II was great, but he was lucky to have a relatively quiet Eastern Front (unlike Heraclius, (duh )). |
Not that quiet actually. He conquered Armenia and pushed the Byzantine-Muslim frontier to the other side of the Taurus, also capturing important Northern Ftmid towns.
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