Byzantium Through The Ages A Timeline Early Byzantine Period Middle Byzantine Period Late Byzantine Period Constantine I ca. 325 The Attarouthi Treasure 6th­7th century Medallion of Maurice Tiberius 583 David and Goliath 628­30 Three Panels depicting the Story of Joshua 10th century Panels from Adam and Eve Casket 10th­11th century Icon with Saint Demetrios second half of the 10th century Casket with Warriors and Dancers 11th century Pendant 11th century Processional Cross first half of the 11th century Double-Faced Enkolpion late 11th­early 12th century Temple Pendant and Stick late 11th­early 12th century Saint George from a Set of Medallions late 11th­early 12th century Madonna and Child ca. 1230 Presentation in the Temple probably 15th century Early Byzantine Period Early fourth century The Armenians adopt Christianity as their state religion; they develop their own alphabet in the fifth century. 330 The pro-Christian Roman emperor Constantine I dedicates the city of Constantinople (in Greek "the city of Constantine"), established on the site of the Greek city Byzantium, as the new capital of the Roman Empire. 337 Saint Nina converts the Georgians to Orthodox Christianity. 395 The empire is divided into eastern and western portions under Arkadios and Honorius, the sons of Emperor Theodosius I. 410 Rome is sacked by the Visigoths. 476 Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman emperor, is deposed by the German Odoacer. 527 Justinian becomes Eastern Roman emperor. Constantinople covers eight square miles (Manhattan covers twenty-two square miles) with at least 500,000 inhabitants. 532­37 Justinian builds the church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. 548­65 Justinian builds a monastery dedicated to the Virgin on Mount Sinai; in the ninth century it is renamed for Saint Catherine. 639 Muslim armies conquer the southern territories of the Byzantine Empire (Syria, the Holy Land, Egypt, and Jordan). 726 Byzantine Emperor Leo III orders all icons in the Byzantine Empire destroyed. 800 Charlemagne, king of the Franks, is crowned "Emperor of the West" by Pope Leo III in Rome. Ninth century Saint Constantine the Philosopher and Saint Methodios create a writing system for the Slavs; the Cyrillic alphabet will follow. Middle Byzantine Period 843 Icons are restored to Orthodox worship; this is a triumph of the Byzantine church over the emperor. 864 Khan Boris of the Bulgarians is baptized as an Orthodox Christian; the Bulgarians adopt Christianity from Constantinople. 867 Basil I becomes the Byzantine emperor and establishes the Macedonian dynasty; until 1025, Byzantine emperors are at least part Armenian. Late ninth century Caliphs and the powerful elite of the Islamic 'Abbasid court in Baghdad begin commissioning translations of a major portion of ancient Greek texts into Arabic. 945­59 Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, a guiding spirit of the so-called Macedonian Renaissance, encourages the creation of encyclopedic works and the compilation of historical writings. Mid-tenth century The Byzantine church of Hosios Loukas (Holy Luke) is founded in Stiris, Greece. 963­69 The Great Lavra (Great Monastery) is established on Mount Athos in Greece. 972 The Byzantine princess Theophano marries the future Emperor Otto II of Germany. 976 Basil II (d. 1025), the last great ruler in the Macedonian dynasty, ascends the throne and later conquers Bulgaria, earning the title of the Boulgaroktomos (Bulgar-slayer). 988 Grand Prince Volodymyr adopts Byzantine Christianity as the official state religion of Kievan Rus' (located in modern-day Ukraine, Belorus', and the Russian Federation). ca. 1000 Beowulf and the Song of Roland are recorded in writing in Europe. 1018 Bulgaria becomes part of the Byzantine Empire, obtaining its independence in 1188. 1054 The patriarch of Constantinople and the pope in Rome excommunicate one another, causing the Great Schism between the Byzantine and Latin churches. 1066 William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, takes the English crown. 1071 Battle between Muslim Seljuk Turks under Alp Arslan and the Byzantine army under Romanus IV Diogenes at Mantzikert (near Lake Van in modern Turkey); Seljuks win and in time take most of Asia Minor, including Armenia, from the Byzantines. 1081 Alexius I Komnenos becomes emperor, establishing the Komnenos dynasty; the following year, to gain the support of the Venetian navy against the Normans in South Italy, he grants Venice legal, political, and economic concessions, eventually leading to Venetian commercial and economic domination in much of the Byzantine Empire. 1081 The empire repulses the new Norman kingdom of South Italy, which has launched a devastating invasion of the Byzantine Empire from the west; the Norman goal was to destroy Byzantium and make Constantinople the capital of the Norman state. 1088 Christodoulos of Patmos, supported by Emperor Alexius I Komnenos, founds the monastery of Saint John the Theologian on Patmos. 1099 The First Crusade (1095-99) captures Jerusalem; the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem begins. 1143­51 Workshops of Byzantine mosaicists from Constantinople are invited to decorate churches in the Norman kingdom of Sicily (Palace Chapel and the church of Saint Mary of the Admiral in Palermo; the cathedral in Cefal�). 1182(?)­1226 Life of Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order of friars. 1187 Saladin's defeat of crusaders at the Horn of Hittin and his capture of Jerusalem, followed by the Islamic conquest of most of the Crusader states. 1204 The Fourth Crusade leads to a Latin occupation of Constantinople, with the Byzantine Empire reduced to several contending states in outlying regions of its territories; as a result, for much of the next fifty years, vast amounts of artistic booty are sent to western Europe from the city and the lands of Frankish Greece. 1215 King John of England and rebelling English nobles sign the Magna Carta. 1221­58 The Mongols ravage Persia, conquer the Chin empire in China, conquer the Armenians and Georgians, capture Moscow and Kiev, are victorious at Liegnitz (Silesia) and Mohl (Hungary), conquer Nan-Chao and eastern Tibet in the Far East, and capture Baghdad in the Middle East, ending the 'Abbasid caliphate. 1260 Mamluk sultanate in Egypt and Syria defeats the Mongols. Late Byzantine Period 1261 Constantinople is recaptured by the Byzantine emperor Michael Palaeologus. 1271­92 Travels of Marco Polo. Fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries Byzantine defenses in Asia and Europe gradually collapse as the Ottoman Turks advance. Constantinople, now essentially all that remains of the empire, continues to stand against them. 1453 The Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople and the last of the imperial lands; in 1930, Constantinople is renamed Istanbul (in Turkish, "the city"). Works of Art | Themes | History | Timeline | Glossary | Teacher Resources | Byzantium Home Page Home |  The Collection |  Special Exhibitions |  Explore & Learn |  Calendar |  The Met Store |  Guestbook |  Events & Programs |  Educational Resources |  Membership |  Support the Met |  Visitor Information |  News from the Met |  Site Index Photograph Credits Copyright � 2000 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.  Terms and Conditions.