Why The Byzantines Spoke Greek Instead of Latin

In this video, we explain why the Byzantine Empire spoke Greek instead of Latin, despite being Romans.
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Songs:
The Pyre
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By Diadochen1.png: Captain_BloodDiadochi IT.svg: Luigi Chiesa (talk)This vector image includes elements that have been taken or adapted from this: Battle icon gladii.svg.derivative work: Homo lupus - Own work; The Macedonian Empire, 336-323 B.C. AND Kingdoms of the Diadochi in 301 BC and 200 BC. Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1911. Courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin., CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

[@MsLoucile]

"Rome conquered Greece but Greece conquered Rome"

[@alperenbaser5595]

Not Greece . Greeks

[@alperenbaser5595]

@marios gianopoulos Term Greek created in 19 th century . Greeks were not unified people until Roman Empire . After that they call thenself Rum ( Roman) . Not hellen nor Greek

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artes ...

[@filipmous5021]

Alperen Başer Greece (Έλλάς-Hellas) as a name for all Hellenes appears on Homer (≈800 BC) in Iliad as I recall. Stating that it first appeared on the 19th century (the time od the Greek Revolution) is absurd. I am pretty sure actually that Hellas is very ancient (before 5000 BC), because it derives from Ελ+Λας (Ελ= very ancient version for sun + λας= the simple ancient greek word for land)
During reign of Theodosios (Byzantine- Eastern Roman Emperor) the ancient greek religion became illegal and the word (Hellenas- Έλληνας- Greek) was associated with paganism. Therefore the Greek Christians chose to be named Romans (Ρωμαίοι- Ρωμοιοί).

[@alperenbaser5595]

@@filipmous5021 I know Greeks are ancient people but There was no Greece in history . That was only Macedon Empire that nothing to do with Rome . History written by victorious not the right one . I m saying fact . Thats not rude thing . I have my respect on Greeks but their historiy is like a balloon with European air in it . I dont think Greek legacy belong to Europe . It s belong to real neighbours Anatolia and Mesopotamia . Cause Greeks learn almost everything from these civilasations

[@that4711]

The influence of the Greek language overtime is very impressive.

[@averdadeeumaso4003]

Tha T The Greek language came from phoenician, which came from Hebrew tribes.

[@user-dm5kv9gz8h]

A VERDADE É UMA SÓ wow any facts?cause I am sure you will speak about a Herodotus reference which is the only?

[@that4711]

@@averdadeeumaso4003 It is said that the Greek alphabet was influenced by the Phoenician one, not the language.

[@MrAlepedroza]

@@averdadeeumaso4003 The Greek language is of indoeuropean origin, not semitic as Phoenician was.

[@hussamalmasaid2494]

@@MrAlepedroza yea but the Greek alphabet was based on the Phoenician alphabet

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

They were Greek and Hellenized people. That's why... By calling themselves Roman they didn't mean that they were Roman by ethnicity. Medieval Greeks(aka Byzantines) saw themselves as the inheritors of the glorious Greco-Roman civilization.

[@MrAlepedroza]

Roman was more of a nationality than an ethnicity. "Italian" would probably be the word you're looking for to describe the original Romans from the Boot Peninsula. They, therefore, were Roman in nationality but Roman in ethnicity...therefore, Graeco-Romans 😎

[@giorgostheodoropoulos2136]

@@FAMA-18 Έλληνες εσμέν το γένος, ως η τε φωνή και η πάτριος παιδεία μαρτυρεί

[@giorgostheodoropoulos2136]

@@FAMA-18 Oh but it is not me replying you back. It is a "Byzantrine" using his own language and giving you exactly the answer to the question you are asking. If you cannot understand it I cant see how you can then have an opinion about this. You are simply uneducated and ignorant.

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

ANTONIO FAMA@ ''the contributions were of none Greek...'' Such generalizations are made only by ignorant children. Do yourself a favor and start reading. You will be surprised !!!

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

An accurate look on Byzantium is BBC's''in our time'' podcast.

[@johngurlides9157]

The Byzantines spoke Greek because, for the most part, they WERE Greek. The Greek people lived on both sides of the Aegean and even those who were not of Greek blood, living in the interior of Asia Minor, had been Hellenised since the time of Alexander the Great.

[@Zingam]

United States of America speak English. Are they culturally and ethnically English? I guess - NO!

[@adamhradil7923]

@@Zingam So if something works for the USA it has to work for other parts of the world as well? Also, the dude never said that everyone there was ethnically Greek. Did you miss the part when he mentions Hellenization? He's not wrong. You on the other hand, what the hell are you even talking about.

[@MacedonianHero]

No, they were ROMANS. They spoke a foreign language, but stealing history is what modern greeks do best.

[@tiami3886]

for example check the list of legions until 5th, 6th century and how many are related to something greek? they called themselves romans all the way but they were greeks? as for greek ethnicity, isn't it strange it is more related to near east than europe, old greeks on mozaics and frescos looked totally european? there's something wrong here. identity change perhaps?

[@tiami3886]

by the way greek was synonym for eastern christians, not an ethnicity. there were many there.

[@alexisgateley230]

Greek had deep roots in Rome, note that the "father of Latin literature" was Livius Andronikos a Greek from the 3rd century BC, also the first history of Rome was written in Greek, etc.

[@TheHunterOfYharnam]

rome was founded by greeks

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@TheHunterOfYharnam you mean Troyas lool.

[@TheHunterOfYharnam]

@@marcelcostache2504 first of all its trojans
secondly trojans were greeks
and thirdly rome's name is greek meaning strengh
there are historians who say its greek

[@TheHunterOfYharnam]

@@marcelcostache2504 I consider that Appolo himself declared our city (Rome) to be Greek as in origin as in regime."
Emperor Julien,
«Symbosium or Kronias» 324a]
Sources
Pausanias, Description of Greece Arcadia 43. 1.3
Plutarchus, Romulus 1
Strabo, Geographica V 111,3
Publius Ovidius Naso, Fasti Book V

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@TheHunterOfYharnam let it be your way im not going to fight you lool if this is what you believe its ok i understand you love your culture and language but sometimes its good to be neutral an look at history from a neutral perspective.

[@rayyansobrany9759]

Greek was like English , the dominat lingua Franca back then. It's intresting how it survived despite Greece being part of the Roman and Ottoman empire.

[@alperenbaser5595]

All languages survived in Ottomans . Ottomans were multiculturel let the people with their cultures

[@averdadeeumaso4003]

Alperen Başer Stop lying, Ottomans enslaved everybody and even kidnapped virgin women to put in a harem, Ottomans were disgusting like Nazi Germany, Turkey still needs to pay reparations to Armenia and give Greater Armenia with Mount Ararat back, or even better, migrate to TURKmenistan and the other -stan countries.

[@daderpman1018]

@@alperenbaser5595 Oh please, the only reason the ottomans didn't touch cultures in the Balkans is mainly because poor people living in mountains make it hard for you to assimilate them. If the Ottomans had the ability to, then they would have. Look at Anatolia. A wealthy area with one of the largest cities in the east with fertile and simple terrain. It is extremely easy to assimilate people In such an area, and the Ottomans had to use genocide to finish the job. By the way, the other guy who compared the ottomans to the Nazis is absolutely stupid, don't mind him.

[@NickStrife]

@@daderpman1018 Exactly, Ottomans were no angels.. They were just assimilating people in conquered lands slowly and masterfully. Despite their clever assimilation tactics, the whole concept is no Turkish.. Persians did the same, Great Alexander and the Roman Empire as well..
It's easier to assimilate everyone instead of acting like an evil overlord. The latter would only instigate rebellions easier.. Especially for Turks.. Turks did not have the numbers to inhabit the vast lands they conquered alone.
What set Ottomans apart from previous Empires though, was the fact their assimilation was a bit more aggressive by using tactics like forcing people to pay a special tax if they were no Muslims.. That's what made most people convert to Islam, slowly but surely for financial reasons. Then you have janissaries, high Turkish officials who were actually not Turks..
The aforementioned tactics in conjunction with the fact that if you did not convert you would be treated as a third class citizen, Turkified most of the locals.. That's why the Mongolian tribe of Turks look nothing like Asians today.. Modern Turks are comprised of converted Greeks, Armenians, Pontics, Kurds and so on..
What happened to the small minorities who despite all the above, refused to let go of who they really are? Well, Greeks revolted and got some of their lands back (modern Greece). The places that did not revolt or simply did not get liberated though? Genocides finished the job.. The Armenian and the Pontic genocides are only a few of such examples..
In conclusion, modern Turks are descendants of traitorous and murderous pigs who converted themselves to please their Turkish overlords.. Combine that with the fact they do not relinquish all the lands they hold illegally or their complete denial of any genocide taking place and then you understand why everyone hates their guts..!

[@user-jh9nx6tl1n]

@@averdadeeumaso4003 yeah all indo europeans should go back to modern day east ukraine and caucasus too. Lol what a logic.

[@user-so8kx7uj2x]

Not forgotten.... A lot of people were speaking Greek. Cicero said that Greeks conquered with their culture the Romans who were their conquerers.

[@Stathube]

_"Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artis intulit agresti Latio"_
Horace

[@slukky]

Ha! Many Greeks welcomed the Roman conquest. Such was the infighting among Greeks/Hellenes.

[@faniskou]

@@slukky The Romans finally brought internal peace to Hellas. Something not seen since Phillip and Alexander. Of course we welcomed their conquest.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Stathube - Damnatio recta, canis! Translation: Damn str8, 🐶!

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Captive Greece then conquered the Latins with its culture and -------? Sorry, my high school Latin is a little rusty.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Buster Biloxi - “Captive Greece captured her savage conqueror and brought the arts into rude Latium”.

[@georgeevangel4292]

Because Alexander the Great settled that area with Greeks all the way to Afghanistan

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

George Evangel 😳 Indeed - but Alexander the Great was Macedonian, not Greek. Reverberations from ancient issues can be heard even today in modern Greece and the dispute over the naming of the former Yugoslavian territory of 🇲🇰 Macedonia.

[@phoenix2135]

@@sirmeowthelibrarycat Macedonians were Greeks.

[@georgeevangel4292]

@@sirmeowthelibrarycat Not Greek he spoke Greek,Worshipped Greek Gods Spread Greek Culture Macedonia was a Greek city state as was Thebes Athens Sparta

[@georgeevangel4292]

@@sirmeowthelibrarycat Macedonia is Greece

[@georgeevangel4292]

@@sirmeowthelibrarycat Idiot Alexander was GREEK not slavic as you insinuate Tito started all of this

[@papertoyss]

Fun Fact
Fall of Constantinople: 1453
Constantinople was renamed to Istanbul byt the Turks: 28th March 1930 (to eliminate Greek influence)
Etymology of Istanbul: "is tin Polin" (greek) = to the City / the City. The Greek Byzantines referred to Constantinople as "the City" (of cities).

[@captain_mike6787]

So the ottomans outplayed them selves

[@papertoyss]

@@captain_mike6787 They renamed the city in order to eliminate the greek traces, to name it after a greek motto

[@zachariastsampasidis8880]

I thought the official name of the city was Konstantinye

[@user-ft1tn2rx9t]

@@zachariastsampasidis8880 no Konstantinye is called by the muslims

[@zachariastsampasidis8880]

@@user-ft1tn2rx9t obviously talking about turkey mate

[@limnmark]

There are Greek colonies far north in Italy than those maps show. For example Ancona, from the Greek word "Ανκών " that means "Elbow". Even Rome is a Greek word that means "Power"

[@aarengraves9962]

I always laugh when someone says "they were not greek they were just speaking greek"
Well the language is the most important aspect in someone's culture. The Α and the Ω. Without it, you are a zero

[@hiukas.]

Finally someone talked about this iteresting topic!
Thank you F.O.L, have a great day!

[@hiukas.]

Una faccia una razza! 🇬🇷❤🇮🇹

[@kreshnikbedinaj3084]

Hiukas hahahahah no kon Greec
Una faca una raca

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

Bedinai@ Try not to be yourself so much. Trust me...you'll be surprised !!!

[@kreshnikbedinaj3084]

Καπτεν Χαρλοκ ela re elinara
Ti mas les gia pes ???

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

Try literature .

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

It would be difficult at first because firstly you have to learn the alphabet.

[@ACGreyhound04]

The dividing line between the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire was not an accident. Every time the Empire was cut in half, from Diocletian to the successors of Constantine, the same basic line was used, corresponding roughly to the line between the areas where Latin was the dominant language of administration (Italy, Gaul, Spain, Britain, Northwest Africa), and those where Greek predominated (Greece, the Balkans, Anatolia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt).

[@ermioniburgess8720]

Romans became slaves to Greek culture.They adopted everthing from greek to the Romans.The Romans stole whole temples a d statutes and columns from Greece and take them to Rome.Also the the old testement translated to Greek in 300 BC in Alexandria.Many Jews also Hellenism.But Greeks establish colonies as as Crimea.Thats why they have cities with greek names such as Sebastopol

[@annavsmith1]

Fantastic Job, guys.
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ

[@slavdefendov1499]

Marry me

[@TB64967]

You make my favorite history vids cant wait for more!

[@vangelisskia214]

"Constantine filled the streets, squares and museums of the new capital with ancient Greek artistic treasures to emphasize its Hellenism. The people of Constantinople who moved around the city every day, could never forget the glory of their GREEK HERITAGE".
Steven Runciman

[@ThomasGazis]

Ο μεθοδευμένος ανθελληνισμός της συγκεκριμένης οργανωμένης ομάδας (που αποτελείται και από πολλούς εθνομηδενιστές Έλληνες αλλά και από πολλούς εξ ανατολών και εκ βορρά γειτόνων μας) σε αυτό ειδικά το βίντεο έπιασε ταβάνι! Η λύσσα τους να αφελληνίσουν παντελώς το Βυζάντιο είναι σχεδόν ανεξήγητη...

[@geoffrobinson]

New Testament was written in Koine Greek so “forgotten” by whom?

[@Fireoflearning]

Well, forgotten in that we tend to forget that Greek was so prevalent in the Empire. When we think of Rome, often, we think only of Latin.

[@tonysoldan]

Fire Of Learning Well, not here in Greece. The last survivors of the Byzantine Empire came as refugees to the kingdom of Greece during the population exchange of 1923. Whether they are Constantinopolites, Ionians, Carians, Aeolians, Pontians or whatever, they all identify as Greek. Greece is the successor of the Byzantine Empire for a reason.
As for Romans being greek weebs... well, all of Europe were greekaboos. Otherwise democracy, mathematics, epic words, tragedy, comedy, theater, Olympic games, western philosophy, etc would not have spread across the globe...

[@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh]

I am sure Jesus spoke to Pilate in Greek, not Latin or Hebrew.
That is likely why in Luke 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

[@johngurlides9157]

@@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh Everyone knows that except Mel Gibson!

[@ChaplainBobWalkerBTh]

@@johngurlides9157 maybe the european porn stars hired by Mel for the last temptation movie know this?

[@vag_grig8105]

If you see a map of the Greek colonies and then see a map of the Byzantine empire, you can understand why the Greeks had so much influence in the Eastern Roman empire, Constantinople itself was a Greek colony before it actually became Constantinople.
To me, Byzantium was a "Greek Rome".

[@tasosk7818]

I like your knowledge a lot. Sense spoken and it’s not just because I’m Greek.

[@Kostis346]

How can it be both Roman and Greek, they were two different civilizations

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

​@@Kostis346😂 You couldn't be more wrong. The Greco-Roman Civilization laughs at you.
It's common knowledge fũčķ'š sake! Do yourself THE gift (trust me on this) and make reading(Books..not internet)your hobby. Instead of TV or Internet, READ BOOKS. At first half an hour...every day. Then one hour and you'll see THE benefit.

[@Kostis346]

@@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt firstly you could be more polite, I read books. And secondly, I understand what Greco-Roman civilization is but you can't just say Greeks and Romans are the same thing. The Greeks existed before the Romans and have so many differences. That's like saying that the Persian civilization is the same thing with Egyptian civilization because the Persians conquered Egypt

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

@@Kostis346 The Greek were Romans for 1500 years. To be Roman was not an ethnicity but a nationality. The citizens of Pompey were Romans, people from Spain were Romans. The Greeks were more Roman than anyone.
And if you want to speak about the initial Rome its still the same. Rome was a child of Greece in all aspects(Religion, Philosophy, way of life etc).Without Greece there wouldn't be a Rome.

[@SpartanLeonidas1821]

The majority of the “Byzantines” were also ethnically Greek as well, especially when the outer provinces were lost..

[@paulmayson3129]

You treat the term “Roman” as if it was an ethnicity. It was not, as since the Antonine Edict of 212 AD all free men of the Empire were given Roman Citizenship. If the people have preserved the Roman Languages, the Roman Traditions, the Roman Legacy and the same Political, Politistical and Cultural background that they did centuries ago, which they certainly did, they should be considered the same people.

[@SpartanLeonidas1821]

MISERICORDI A
"The history of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire is the Christianized Roman Empire of the Greek Nation"
-August Heisenberg
{Byzantist - Byzantologist}

[@tylerellis9097]

Majority of the population was Hellenized Anatolians and Armenians. After Manikert Hellenized Anatolians, Greeks and Bulgarians/Slavs.

[@SpartanLeonidas1821]

Tyler Ellis That quote I left is from one of the Greatest Byzantologist around. Also Vasiliev and the majority of others all mostly agree with him 🤓

[@tylerellis9097]

HELLAS59 and theirs plenty that disagree. Not that it matters to me first hand forces of the people of the time are more important then a modern historians heavily debated viewpoint.

[@vasilisiatropoulos3474]

Great work on a topic overlooked for a long time

[@makisxatzimixas2372]

Thank you for those amazing Images, they really made the whole video very capturing!

[@wardeni9603]

Even in the peak of the Roman Latin culture, the upper classes most likely spoke Greek all the time. It was both a prestige language to them, but also in the western half of the empire a great way for the educated to speak when they didn't want common folk to understand their conversations. For example Julius Caesar did it whenever he didn't want certain information to be heard by his primarily latin-speaking troops. The Romans were such Greekaboos, honestly.

[@mlazos]

Very good research and preparation. Well done. Few videos are historically accurate.

[@TheDJGuVna]

I heard your voice n thought I'd get bored...I've been on your channel like half an hour now...I may just watch one of the longer vids after this...your channel is brilliant!

[@AngelFlores_133]

I love this channel 🙏😁

[@3452te]

Greek have been a secondary language to Rome and the Romans since the Kingdom of Rome, Latium and the Etruscans back then. In fact Magna Graecia was south of the Italian peninsula were the majority were all Greeks and not to mention the greek colonies of Iberia and Gaul (in Marseille in 600 BCE). Plus Greek back then was the preferred language of trade throughout the Diadochi kingdoms, Colonies and the Levant. So it is very likely that Romans spoke the language as well in their schools, forums and elsewhere.
But amazing video nonetheless. :)

[@marcelcostache2504]

back then to know geek it was the equivalent of english today,

[@3452te]

@@marcelcostache2504 it truly was. Especially when you have merchants, traders, citizens, philosophers, teachers, and even mercenaries living within and abroad.

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@3452te thing is the romans where not some racist idiots they where very found of culture, yes they had the most aggressive army in the world at that time but if you look at the empire as a hole the cultural and technological achevements for the time was the envy of the world.

[@3452te]

@@marcelcostache2504 the Romans were very open in their society. They don't care who you are as long you pay taxes, contribute, and even serve in the army. If your auxiliaryman and wanted to be a Roman citizen then that man has to serve I believe 12 to 20 years in the army until you get your citizenship and that was before caracalla before he granted all citizenship to those living within the Roman Empire.

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@3452te Back them Roman citizenship was like hiting the jackpot!.

[@stansebastos3005]

1461 actually is when the last vestige of Byzantium fell in Trapezounta and the local dialect in Pontus region is Pontic Greek

[@GrecoByzantine1821]

The last Byzantine stronghold fell in 1475. It was the Principality of Theodoro in Crimea.😃

[@antonkwanton5620]

@@GrecoByzantine1821 yeah and its really ironic that last stand of roman civilization was crimean principality of goths and greco-romans

[@GrecoByzantine1821]

@@romainvicta100 Do you live in Trapezounta?Rumca?

[@user-ft1tn2rx9t]

@@antonkwanton5620 Greek dna: Greek - Italian - West Asian

[@slavdefendov1499]

Love Greeks .
Love from Serbia.
🇷🇸☦🇬🇷

[@babispapoulidis957]

Love Serbia from Greece

[@kreshnikbedinaj3084]

Slav Defendov fac Serbia xezo tin elada me psefto Elines ..!!!

[@kreshnikbedinaj3084]

Nicos Theocharous skase malakizmeno mi se piaso me fapes
Mama qir!

[@kreshnikbedinaj3084]

Nicos Theocharous pio spiti vrikes vre
Eisai kai kathisyerimenos
Gia ela Mesa
I mipos eisai pisoglendis
Malon ti pernis eee 😂😂😂

[@nicostheocharous1990]

Kreshnik Bedinai
Σου αρεσε το ξυλο που εφαγεs? Aν θεs κι'αλλο στειλε μηνυμα να επιστρεψω πισω.

[@fm-gamer5617]

The Byzantines spoke Greek because the most people in today Greece and Asia Minor were Greeks.

[@fm-gamer5617]

@@user-be4nm1fq5w yes that’s true. But I’m referring to people that spoke only Greek and not as a second language. Most people in today Greece, Albania, Northmacedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey were Greeks. That’s why the official language of the eastern Roman Empire became Greek and Latin got abandoned.

[@HittokiriBatosai]

The Romans really weebed their way into making Greece a global powerhouse again without having to do any conquering. Hilarious when you think about it.

[@Lesboi]

Bro you are like an elder wizard figure for me since almost a year now, who bestows knowledge on the every weekend especially when my culture, family and father are all ignorant and proud of it lol.
THANK YOU for all the hard work you put in for these persistent videos mate AND GOD BLESS YOU !!!

[@Fireoflearning]

Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that!

[@Lesboi]

@@tatumergo3931 cheers mate brothers in arms in atleast something lol

[@Lesboi]

@@tatumergo3931 Well thats an undeniable fact boss..thanks for articulating precisely ...greetings brother

[@cybair9341]

The images are fantastic.
I pause all the time to take a good look at them.

[@thrylos-rn4up]

I wonder if people realize that there was never, truly a “Byzantine” empire. This was a term made up by French and German historians in their attempt to claim their countries as the true inheritants of the Roman Empire. In that attempt they had to call the Empire of the East something else, which is how the came up with term Byzantine (taken from the near by province). Yet it was the French, the German and the Russians emperors that they always were asking to marry a Roman princess from Constantinople, in their effort to gain validation.

[@user-sc5iv2rp2t]

The term Byzantine was used and this is evident both in Alexiad and in Choniates. The French did not come up with the term randomly they read it in the sources.

[@antonkwanton5620]

@@user-sc5iv2rp2t in eastern rome, Byzantium was one of many names of constantinople and byzantines were inhabitants of this city

[@user-sc5iv2rp2t]

@@antonkwanton5620 Exactly. In the sources they use Rhomaios for their identification until 11th century and after the first crusade we see the term Hellene used also. Especially in Choniates chronicle. Greece has inherited both Hellenism and Rome.

[@user-sc5iv2rp2t]

@@0752756949 You were and are Latin Dacian Romans. We are the Rhomaioi Greeks. You represent the western culture of the Empire while we represent the Eastern that fell in 1453.

[@skylinelover9276]

Because Italian nationalist only link Romans as latin Italian... That all Roman achievements including the Byzantines were Italian latin achievements

[@catcook3324]

I enjoy your choice of grand historic paintings!

[@vangelisskia214]

Constantine Palaiologos himself in the end proclaimed Constantinople the "refuge for Christians, hope and delight of all HELLENES".
George Phrantzes, History, 3.6.

[@svasilop]

There are two traditional theories about the role of Greek in the Roman and eastern Roman/Byzantine empires.
The Roman theory supported by the ancient Romans themselves and the Frankish theory propagandized by Charlemagne in the 8th century and prevailing to this day and accepted by most Europeans and many of my brainwashed fellow Greeks.
According to the Roman theory, the Founders of Ancient Rome were Greek speaking colonists from Arcadia and Laconia in Greece. The Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus and many other historians confirm that. Latin speaking tribes of Italy contributed to founding Rome as well. So from the start Rome was a bilingual city. The aristocratic patricians preferred Greek whereas the plebs had a preference for Latin. After the wars of Rome with Macedon and Southetn Greece, many Greek speaking slaves were infused into Rome. A great percentage of the inscriptions in Rome catacombs if not the majority were in Greek. The Christian mass in Rome was performed in Greek during the first 3 centuries of Christianity. Paul wrote his epistle to Romans in Greek. All territories of the Roman Empire were bilingual including Spain, France, Italy, the Balkans and Turkey. Even the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire was bilingual and remained so even after Greek became the language of administration in Constantinople. Latin continued to co-exist in Constantinople to the end of the Byzantine Empire as many Byzantines spoke Latin. Even today there are many people in Greece speak Latin. They are called the Vlachs. Vlachic Latin however is at risk of extinction since not supported by the Greek government. Just like Greek is at risk of extinction from Southern Italy.
Back to Ancient Rome. Latin became the majority and Greek was forgotten gradually in Rome when Constantine transferred all the Greek speakers of Rome to his new capital Constantinople. Few years later, Pope Damascus changed the language of the mass in Rome from Greek to Roman.
When the Greeks revolted against the Turks in 1821, they still called themselves Romans. They believed that Hellenes used to live in their land thousands of year before. However, the Government of the new liberated Hreek state, started and succeeded in a new expedition to re-educate the liberated population that they are Hellenes and not Romans. Modern Greeks rarely identify themselves as Romans any more except in their folk songs where they sing proud to be Romans. Τη Ρωμιοσύνη μην την κλαις...

[@spirostravlos3801]

S.V. Ρωμιός αγάπησε ρωμιά-Ρωμιά κ θεσσαλονικιά...!!!

[@niksan5670]

Great post, bravo Sot Basil! Rome was billingual, Greek and Latin - speaking, with Latin being the preferred in public dealings and Greek in private. This is actually what this journal support. Well said!
anthrojournal.com/issue/october-2011/article/greek-and-latin-bilingualism-beyond-the-upper-class-in-the-ancient-roman-principate

[@niksan5670]

Είναι εξαιρετικά ενδιαφέρουσα μια σειρά άρθρων του Θοδωρή Ζιακα με τίτλο "Γιατί έγιναν οι Έλληνες Ρωμαίοι;". Ρίξτε μια ματιά...

[@innosanto]

your comment is a mix and mash of some correct stuff and some bs.

[@alessandrocoletta7039]

In Italy we study ancient greek in some schools ( classic high schools)

[@marcelcostache2504]

Its good because here in romania they are doing everything they can to remove latin corses from schools, thanks to the stupid EU.

[@alessandrocoletta7039]

@@marcelcostache2504 we also study latin in half of the high schools( in all the lyceul)

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@alessandrocoletta7039 keep culture and education and never forget the language of your ancestors, the more you learn the better it is.
Its good to see italy holding on to culture, AVE from Romania aka Land of the Romans.

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@alessandrocoletta7039 you know most italians here in canada do not speak italian heck i know more italiano then they know!.

[@cq33xx58]

In Greece to succeed in particular sections of universities, among other topics, you have to be examined in Latin, unfortunately the way the lessons are in high schools, none really learn the language, just prepearing for the exam

[@GeoBBB123]

Latin was never more than an 'administrative veneer' in the eastern part of the Empire. Greek was always dominant there. In the middle eastern domains of the Empire, Greek was preeminent in addition to the local native languages. In the southern Balkans, Southern Italy and in Anatolia and Cyprus Greek was also the native tongue of the local population. It was to these native Greek-speaking regions that the Roman Empire (aka Eastern Roman, Byzantine or Greek Empire) contracted. In the context of the question posed by the video, there is actually no mystery ...

[@christiancristof491]

Southern italy WAS greek speaking but eventually was latinized, probably because it was closer to Rome as compared to other hellenized places.

[@nqh4393]

3:18 the oldest fidget spinner ever!

[@ivanchen1820]

great video great info well done

[@darkhub1]

watching videos from this channel about classical to medieval then to are present time is like reading a metal chain with words on about history only to realize it branches off to other parts off the chain but some how comes together nicely at times

[@vangelisskia214]

"Present your shield, swords, arrows, and spears to them, imagining that you are a hunting party after wild boars, so that the impious may learn that they are dealing not with dumb animals but with their lords and masters, THE DESCENDANTS OF THE HELLENES (GREEKS) AND THE ROMANS."
Constantine Palaologus XI speaks in front of his officers and allies before the final siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Bey
George Sprantzes - The Fall of the Byzantine Empire 1453 - primary source from the war..

[@makisxatzimixas2372]

Byzantine spoke Greek because most people were Greek. And yes Greek meant something different back then. But that was before Alexander the Great, who pretty much forced every Greek to speak the same dialect. So they were Greek and spoke Greek. There were different city states, because each city state had to have its own food. Therefore political interests may have varried, but they still spoke the same language.

[@steinfi3]

Excellent video!

[@SevenMilliFrog]

Very good video. Recently found out about the huge greek influence on Rome

[@vangelisskia214]

"Eustathius of Thessalonica ; c. 1115 - 1195/6) was a Byzantine Greek scholar and ARCHBISHOP of Thessaloniki. disambiguates the distinction in his contemporary account of the sack of Thessaloniki by the Normans in 1185 by referring to the invaders with the generic term "Latins", encompassing all adherents to the Roman Catholic Church, and THE "HELLENES" AS THE DOMINANT POPULATION OF THE EMPIRE."
Espugnazione di Thessalonica, Palermo 1961, p. 32

[@vangelisskia214]

"After the Empire lost non-Greek speaking territories IN THE 7th AND 8th CENTURIES, "Greek" (Ἕλλην), when not used to signify "pagan", became synonymous with "Roman" (Ῥωμαῖος) and "Christian" (Χριστιανός) to mean a Christian Greek citizen of the [Eastern] Roman Empire.
Roman, GREEK (if not used in its sense of 'pagan') and Christian became SYNONYMOUS terms, counter-posed to 'foreigner', 'barbarian', 'infidel'. The citizens of the Empire, now predominantly of GREEK ethnicity and language, were often called simply ό χριστώνυμος λαός 'the people who bear Christ's name'."
Harrison, Thomas (2002). Greeks and Barbarians. New York: Routledge., p. 268

[@mireillelebeau2513]

Thank you have answer to many questions with that

[@CobraaProductionss]

Bro u gota keep going
More ancient history ❤️❤️❤️

[@sumax-nz1je]

They Byzantines or western Roman empire called them selfs Romioi Romans but they spoke Greek and most of them were Greek but it also was a multi cultural empire it was amazing

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

nik ol - It was multicultural for most of its history but the Greeks were always the dominant culture.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Tony Soza - Eastern, not Western Roman Empire.

[@skylinelover9276]

@@dorianphilotheates3769 just like Holy Roman empire they want to recreate Roman empire under Germanic culture. Like byzantine they want to create Greco Roman empire under Hellenic culture

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

@@skylinelover9276 - Precisely so.

[@vangelisskia214]

"In his »Comparison of the Old and the New Rome«, addressed to emperor Manuel II Palaiologos (1391-1425), Manuel Chrysoloras presented Rome as the mother and Constantinople as the daughter which was founded by the two most powerful and wise peoples of the world, the Romans and the Hellenes, who had come together there in order to create a city that would be able to rule over the whole world. In a sermon to the same emperor, he stated that the Rhomaioi were the offspring of the Romans and the Hellenes, thus being ENTITLED TO USE BOTH NAMES.
Yannis Stouraitis, pp. 86-87, "Reinventing Roman Ethnicity in High and Late Medieval Byzantium" medieval worlds • No. 5 • 2017 • 70-94

[@danholo]

Great video! Why I never consider this while thinking about the Roman Empire has just been mended!

[@arandomwalk]

Nice one!

[@neiladlington950]

So, once upon a time Greek was the "lingua franca" of that time much like English is today and I am guessing that those using it probably thought it would always be that way. Makes me wonder what the ultimate fate of the English language as our "lingua franca" will be.

[@alicemi4155]

It could develop into many different languages, just as Latin morphed into the various Romance languages. Of course, in that case, it would stop being the Lingua Franca.

[@srfrg9707]

On the other had, Greeks considered themselves as Romans until the fall of the ottoman empire and the creation of modern Greece. We used to call ourselfs Romii (plural of Romios Ρομιος) and our nation Romiossini. Turks and Arabs used to call us the Rum.
We used also to consider that the german Holy Roman empire was fake.

[@Zingam]

Greece was created by Englishmen trying to prove the racial superiority of the white European man. And since they had not their own superior ancient culture they decided to capitalize on ancient Greeks achievements and you (modern-day Greeks) capitalize on that English made up propaganda from the 18th-19th century.

[@manosmallis9155]

@@Zingam you are slav bulgarian of skopjie

[@yahwehsonren]

Thank you explain A lot

[@user_____M]

I wonder if English will suffer a similar fate considering it's already globalized.

[@rueisblue]

Well we're already globalised. I think over time accents will get less and less prominent and people will start speaking more and more similarly. Like how in England, the accents of individual cities are kinda dying and it's becoming more and more northern vs southern

[@TheHunterOfYharnam]

@@JohnKastoras yes but it doesn't matter who speak the language more but which country is the most powerful and influensal
usa will become hispanic soon
which will give spanish a way to become the global language
french are also a possibility but it would be harder
and german could also be if the eu is not destroyed
either way
greek was the first global language
followed by french (the language of diplomacy)
and now english
english will probably stop being the global language
before we die
especially if a global war happens and usa loses

[@anihtgenga4096]

They still speak English in the 23rd Century if you can believe Star Trek.

[@LucidFL]

Globalization would have to be reversed

[@TheBucketSkill]

@@TheHunterOfYharnam you're exaggerating BIGGGGGGGGGGGG time with thoe whole hispanic america thing. i grew up in los angeles and any hispanic who's 2nd generation is bilingual, it's not even close.

[@firespawnie537]

Italians and greeks are very alike to begin with...Both beautiful races.

[@midnightblue3285]

Yes both are indo european turks

[@67claudius]

@@midnightblue3285 Both are Chinese

[@teyrncousland7152]

@@67claudius
Both are Mexicans.

[@wankawanka3053]

@@midnightblue3285 jealous much?

[@inTruthbyGrace]

Daniel 7:6 in LXX God told us He would give γλοσσα to the Greek Empire... and Zephaniah 3:9 He said He would put the people under one "pure" language so men could worship Him with "one consent" in 285BC, the Scriptures of the Septuagint were translated for distribution across the Greek Empire because the Jews, scattered from Ethiopia to Spain, had not been speaking "Hebrew" for several centuries since they were freed from Babylon (where they picked up the dialect of Aramaic in the first place in the 6th century BC)... things did just unfold beautifully for the disciples of Jesus who used those Greek Old Testament Scriptures, which were just waiting for them in synagogues all over the "civilized" world to come with the "gospel" (good news) about Jesus about whom those Old Testament Scriptures testified (John 5:39)..pretty cool bc there would have been no way for the gentiles to learn about Jesus, whom the Jews rejected, if their Scriptures were not waiting for those disciples in synagogues all over the world, with copies of those Scripture everyone could read and understand, like a McDonald for disciples... it is an indisputable fact that if the world did not speak Greek, the gospel would not have spread...

[@stonefish1318]

Old but gold! Could you make a follow up documentary about the history and role of Greece in the roman empire before the byzantine?

[@chouyi007]

I have read that Justinian holds the distinction as the last Eastern Roman Emperor who was a native Latin speaker, but that the Emperors for a few more generations at least learned to speak fluent Latin as a second language. If that is different from what you found, may I please ask your source that Justinian was the last Latin-fluent Byzantine Emperor?

[@obabas80]

Xaire phile, Poly kalo video! “Hello friend, very nice video”!

[@obabas80]

@I Am that phrase they would. Exactly the same in both modern and ancient. Languages change; but modern Greek is MUCH closer to its ancient roots than say, Italian is to Latin.

[@evgenihristow3309]

In the 12th century the Greek language was established as an official in the Roman Empire, because there was never a VIZANTIS empire
German scientist-fiction writer Jeronimus Wolf of the XVI century, the founder of the Byzantine cabinet concept and the "Byzantine History Corps" in a series of 34 volumes - surpassed Baron von Munchausen in his creation of fantasies and fantasies about the history of the Eastern Roman Empire.

[@byzantinetales]

The Hellenistic influence, the language of the new testament and the commercial activities of greek speaking people helped towards the domination of Greek in the East

[@steliosgourdoubas4189]

Incredible!

[@sandrojones8068]

*Shudders*
1453.

[@osmankazan4879]

Well the greek had been conquered by two world super power empires of the world, the roman and the ottoman. It is not shuddering at all c’mon

[@riograndedosulball248]

The final arriving of the cockroaches

[@tylerchurch2373]

Alessandro Jones agreed

[@j0nni235]

Oi, the Ottoman Empire was pretty cool :)

[@babispapoulidis957]

@@osmankazan4879 the Greeks were conquered in 1453 because the nomads found a shattered empire militarily and financially. Not to mention about the internal strife caused by the schism

[@temogen2]

Interesting topic...

[@SamAronow]

tl;dr The eastern part of the Roman Empire always had the bigger population, and Greek was already the main language there, or at least the common one. The fall of the west merely exacerbated this demographic fact.

[@marcelcostache2504]

Before the arrival of the slavs most of the Balkan peninsula was divided between Greek speakers and latin speakers and some remnants of illyrian and thracian, go read about the Jireček Line. The line divides the influence of the Latin (in the north) and Greek (in the south) languages in the Roman Empire from Antiquity until the 4th century. It goes from near the city of Laçi in modern Albania to Serdica (now Sofia, in Bulgaria) and then follows the Balkan Mountains to Odessus (Varna) on the Black Sea.
Its very important to us vlahs because you can see how the latin speakers vlahs and there greek speaking cousins evolved before the slavs came.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jire%C4%8Dek_Line

[@marcelcostache2504]

@MagnaYu sorry my english is my 4th language lool, im doing my best its not easy to switch between romanian, spanish, french and english.

[@RC15O5]

@MagnaYu don't be such an asshole.

[@marcelcostache2504]

@Philip Arvanitidis its not easy especially when turning from romanian to spanish or french or vice versa the same word can be written differently and lets not talk about english and strange writing, maybe one day somebody can teach me greek as it was the language of my ancestors alongside latin.

[@obabas80]

Precisely this, very good post. The only 2 historically rational people in the Balkan region are Greeks, and our Orrhidox brethren, the Romanians! Also, your English is quite good my friend!

[@marcelcostache2504]

@Thracian Gothtrue thing is modern day aromanians and morlocs are under the jirecek line with lets me to believe that they where pushed south by the slavs, most likely some even went north and integrated into to the romance speaking populations north of the danube.

[@Panthessalonikeios]

Greek was not a minority language in the Eastern Roman empire, it was the vast majority

[@robowisanveithasung6022]

then it became an official language, so it was not just majority, it became official

[@fighterxaos1]

I was just thinking "So are the Romans just weaboos for Greece?" Then you go on and say it. XD Good stuff

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Uh, maybe they spoke Greek because they were Greek? Just sayin'.

[@MariosDoumou]

Nope. They were multi ethnic empire. Just like the Romans. Just look out the ethnicity of the Emperors. I'm Greek and I'd love to take credit for that empire but I'd be historically inaccurate.

[@toscoba5318]

@@MariosDoumou All empires are multi-ethnic. Nevertheless in all empires there is a dominant culture, and in the case of the eastern part of the roman empire the dominant culture was the greek one. When it comes to the ethnicity of the "byzantines", especially after the arab conquests they were mainly ethnically greeks.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Multi-ethnic but Hellenized. One language was needed and Greek fit the bill. What else was it gonna be, Phrygian?

[@foirie3187]

Just because the empire lost their capital didn't mean that they were any less roman. Ever since the kingdom of Rome the Romans had been highly influenced by the Greeks, copying their phalanx system, having a similar language and very similar pagan religion. Long before the fall of the west Greek was spoken widely, majority of the aristocrats spoke Greek and if one wanted to progress politically they would be at a very severe disadvantage if they didn't speak Greek.
Just because the Romans lost Rome didn't make them any less Roman. People in Gaul and Hispania still thought of themselves long after the Visigoths and Franks, while multiple languages were spoken and there were differences ethnically and culturally like all empires, most citizens of Rome thought of themselves and were Roman.

[@wankawanka3053]

​@@MariosDoumou pretty difficult to be multiethnic when you are only left with the greek inhabited areas don't you think especially after the losses to the arabs

[@christosgiannopoulos828]

Weeaboos with Greek culture
That's a sentence I never thought I would hear

[@user-it2hc6bx5t]

Είναι, βασικά, όλοι οι δυτικοί καθώς πάντα είχαν κόλλημα με εμάς XD

[@christosgiannopoulos828]

@@user-it2hc6bx5t Σωστό, άμα το θέτεις έτσι

[@Sir_Kotsos]

Για να καταλαβεις πριν καιρο βρηκαν το ταφο ενος φιλαρχου καπου στιν βορια ουκρανια οπου ειχε ταφι με μια κορινθιακι περικεφαλεα

[@Moepowerplant]

What if they replaced the legends of olympus with OPM and DBZ or Pokémon? And the tragedies with stuff like School Days?

[@busterbiloxi3833]

What the fuck is a "weeaboo?" - you stupid piece of shit!

[@SithLord2066]

Greek sounds almost exactly like Spanish though! Try this, turn on Greek TV but lower the volume to the point where you can still hear the dialogue, but not understand the words. It sounds pretty much like Castilian Spanish!

[@mariapapagiannidi5331]

Sith Lord Sorry, but I have to disagree. Greek sounds nothing like Spanish--Castilian or otherwise. Nor is it a Romance language (it's not derived from Latin), as it's from a totally different family group.

[@JohnPKING-nj8nc]

@@mariapapagiannidi5331 - If you understand a Romance language like French or Spanish or Italian there's no way you would mistase Greek for Spanish but I saw a youtube video explaining why Greek sounds like Spanish to a lot of people who do not speak those languages.
th-cam.com/video/LPMqoHPJzac/w-d-xo.html

[@GeorgePerakis]

@@mariapapagiannidi5331 Yes it does, actually. Not the words or the meanings or even the grammar, the SOUNDS. Phonologically, Castillian and the Kathomiloumeni are almost as close as you can get. The vowels, the consonants, even the way we stress our syllables, Castillian just sounds like Greek gibberish/alaburnesika with a lisp. This isn't due to linguistic evolution, it's simply a marvelous coincidence. Even modern Turkish doesn't have as many phonological similarities to Greek as Spanish.
By contrast, Portuguese is a lot more similar to Spanish in terms of lexicon, grammar and etymology but a lot less similar in terms of pronunciation and phonology.

[@nejiniisan1265]

For me Spanish doesn't sound like any other language, but that's my opinion.

[@marcelcostache2504]

@@mariapapagiannidi5331 its not from a different family group its indo european same like latin, sanksrit, armenian persian ect the romance languages are a subgroup of the indo-european branch because of there evolution from latin however most modern day romance languages are full with greek words expecially romanian and french.

[@ogga2busy]

1453 never forget

[@tylerellis9097]

1204 never forget!

[@osmankazan4879]

I smell butthurt lol

[@sumax-nz1je]

@@osmankazan4879 shut up

[@georgezissis9244]

osman kazan have you been there Ossie

[@Kleptomaniac66]

Rome is next

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

For all of you who are saying ''The Byzantine empire was multiethnic''. Just use your brain for once. ALL THE EMPIRES WERE MULTIETHNIC. This is what empires really are. So try to say something interesting instead of this 100% useless, although true statement.

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

@@user-qz4go8pf8l And who exactly told you that the Roman Empire was the ''Empire of the Greeks''???

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

@@user-qz4go8pf8l Also define what do you mean by the terms 'Greek''and ''Roman''.

[@CaptainHarlock-kv4zt]

@@user-qz4go8pf8l Did i wrote ''The empire of the Greeks''? Where?
The eastern Roman empire was the Roman empire (it is crystall clear). It was also an empire of the Greek speaking world.

[@dimk735]

@@user-qz4go8pf8l actually people outside the byzantine empire did call it the ''empire of the greeks''.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

I was wondering why the byzantiese wrote in greek in Rise of the Tomb Raider.
It makes me happy that the production team made their research.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

@@tatumergo3931 What do you mean? Where would norwegians come into the picture?

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

@@tatumergo3931 Got me? In what way? I am not sure if we have the same sense of humour. Cultural differences, I guess.
The varangian guard consisted mainly of swedes. The norwegians and danes mostly went west, while swedes traveled east. The finns did not take part in this at all, as far as I know.
As for the litteracy, it depends on the period. The upper class vikings could read and write runes from the start, and litteracy increased over time. Norsemen of the time were quick to adapt to their new enviorement if it helped improve their standing, no matter if this involved changing religion, culture or language.
Not that I see what this have to do with the game. Do you mean that the "Deathless Ones" or knights of Trinity were supposed to be of the varangian guard? I find that unlikely.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

@@tatumergo3931 Well, norwegians generaly suffered from extreme poverty at that time. Due to various factors, such as the fact that Norway had not been independent for many centuries, they did not have much of a schooling system compared to the sibling nations. Not that most swedes were much wealthier, but the time as a super power had left Sweden with two fine universities in the heart land and an academic tradition. As for Denmarks schooling, I know less.
No problem. I am swedish, by the way, even tho one of my grandfathers was norwegian.

[@torbjornlekberg7756]

@@tatumergo3931 That I am always happy to do. :-)

[@kaninum5131]

lmao I was thinking about making a weeb joke but then you actually did it

[@marsakn268]

Many people say that Byzantium wasnt Greece. I have an other argument proving that the Empire was Greek. Except that they used greek language, the lands of Byzantium were at territories habited by greek population even from the ancient times. The Empire lost territories like Egypt or Syria or northern Italy but it tool 1000 years to lose greek mainland, minor Asia and southern Italy, well known as great Greece. Its like the british empire. They lost their colonies but they didnt lost of course their mainland.

[@marsakn268]

@MISERICORDI A after 600 AD it was greek. The empire lost lands like Syria Caucasus and northern italy and remained only the provinces which were inhabited by Greeks south Italy mainland Greece and Minor Asia. Learn some history. The city was named at first nova Roma but everyone in the empire called it constantinople. The -ple at the and of the word is greek and means city.
Today's italians think that they are decendats of Rome which is not true. Everyone who knows history knows that todays italians are lombards a germanic tribe. So your point is fault from the first minute.

[@marsakn268]

@MISERICORDI A no one is pure but to claim that you are romans?? Just booo... i replied to you with arguments and you only told me your beliefs without telling me the reason drove you to these.
Greeks are not turks because i during the ottoman period the laws about making family with a turk was offense for christianity so the greeks made marriages between them.
Most of emperors of Bizantium were greeks like Heraclitus Palaiologi, basileus the bulgar slayer and even Constantine the great was greek from hos mother. Stop denying the truth, unfortunately for you mussolini will never come again. Adroanople was greek and until 1922 the city had huge greek populations there not italian.
I am not saying about austrian occupation of Italy i am talking for ostrogoths holy roman empire france and many other... italians are lombards a gernanic tribe of central europe. Theu started from northern italy and finally they came outside Lombardia.
I forgot to mention that you are partically greek as there are many people in souther italy saying magna Grecia. They are not hellenized italic people they are greeks. Do you ever heard about greek colonies from Syria to Spain and Ireland? Even the name ireland is greek meaning eye as the country is near ocean. Greeks came to italy many years before you lombards.
You are not latin like it or not. Even your popes where german after Charlrmagns death. Bye bye julius caesar junior.

[@marsakn268]

@@user-qz4go8pf8l you have to understand the difference of Greek and Hellenic during middle ages. The Byzantines (lets call them like that for educational purposes) considered themselves Romans at the citizenship and Greeks (Γραικοί) as their ethnic Identity. This can be proves by the words of Charlemagne. Byzantines thought that Hellenes (Έλληνες) were the pagans of dodekatheism. Early Romans politicians who didn't want Christianity to spread said they were Hellenes at religion.
So, during Middle ages, Greeks were the Christians with Greek (ελληνική καταγωγή) ethnicity and Hellenes were the pagans of dodekatheism not necessary with Greek ethnicity.
An other example is that Emmanuel Komnenos often was seen by his people as Imperator of Romania. After his defeat at Myriokefalon the Byzantine people used to mention him as king of the Greeks (Βασιλεύς των Γραικών) and not king of Hellenes.

[@georgeptolemy7260]

I wondered about this

[@barkmatter4389]

Greek is the ideal language for scientifically deep thinking.
Learn it and see the difference

[@garliconionshallot]

b u l l s h i t

[@wankawanka3053]

@@garliconionshallot REAL SHIT

[@marquee6]

Everyone knows the Romans spoke with a English accent. They all sounded like they walked off the set of I,Claudius.

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

marquee6 😁 Indeed - and much the better for that . . . ! Hominem Britannia!

[@SamohtNox]

not to mention looked all English lol

[@user-xv1ko9vr4i]

please mention the ancient greek colony of cumae en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumae from where rome took rheir latin alphabet. another remark is about the greek language in the east. it was common but not everybody spoke it. st. paul spoke greek as many of the literate jews did, but even in the 4th century AD there were many saints who spoke syrian etc. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephrem_the_Syrian

[@RobFeldkamp]

1:55
Please tell me that's the lord's prayer in some kind of proto-Germanic. Reminds me of my own pronounciation when i was 10.
EDIT: Oh kak, nvm... footnote...

[@TurrisBlancus]

Fun fact: Greeks still call themselves Romans colloquially as the heirs of the Empire.

[@user-ts1zz1sm2d]

Greek here, who told you that ?

[@nikolasmacedonites917]

@@user-ts1zz1sm2d of course, my grandfather mostly referred to Greeks as Ρωμιοί the same was what many diaspora Pontians I met across the middle east and the Caucasus referred to themselves when spoke informally mostly.

[@innosanto]

@@user-ts1zz1sm2d Yeah, Greeks used a Greek transformation of the word Roman, the word Ρωμιος (Romios) to talk about themselves as political heirs of the Empire, and the word Latins for the rest.

[@innosanto]

@matchboxmango Hellene and Roman start to mean the same thing since the 12th century and much more ( to be quoted even by kings) since the 13th century. Before that it was fought as a word because Christianity considered the Greek "Hellenic" religion, to be of the devil. (This is also why Athens was in purpose not supported to develop and waned after the 4th century). The last believers of this religion were extinct (in more or less violent ways) in the 9th and 10th centuries, and by the 11th the word started to not be politically a dangerous one ( having relation with the devil as most pagan things). The use of both started after the 12th century, and mostly there was a revival after the crusades because Greeks did not control "New Rome" Constantinople and wanted to use the culture to identify. But both words continued to be used later, and also in Ottoman times, and modern Greek state times, but it is used less lately, up to the 1970s it was in broad use. Greekness is also called "Romiossini" with Romios deriving from Romios. But in modern Greek the word Romeos would be called for Latin Roman and Romios for Greek Roman. In the middle ages probably Greeks would consider the others Latins, Franks etc and themselves Romans and Hellenes. ( Not all Byzantines were Greeks, it was easier to use the word after the crusades because the states and areas that remained were almost exclusively conquered by Greeks. A turning point is the battle of Manzikert in 1071, some of those lands that fell to the Turks were not fully inhabited by Greeks although Greeks lived there, but the remaining ones were almost fully inhabited by Greeks.

[@Alexs.2599]

Actually it's not true. That sentiment was around centuries ago, not now in the present time, and has been exaggerated over the years. No we see ourselves as Hellenes not Romans.

[@chriskw4362]

Imagine there is a map from the late 1700s to the early 1800s right before the War of Independence drawn by Rigas Feraios who was the architect of the modern Greek ideology that show based on the Greek language the borders that the new Greek Kingdom should have. The borders cover Greece all the way to Romania to Constantinople and parts of Asia Minor. The point i want to make is that the Greek language was still a common language in the Ottoman Empire and it is so strong that you can alter it but not erase it.

[@MojoBonzo]

rigas feraios wasnt talking about a "greek" kingdom... he was talking about a roman/balkan federation... he wanted the orthodox people in the ottoman empire to unite, and form a federation, with greek culture being dominant... greek was spoken amongst educated orthodox people since it was the language of the orthodox texts and even slavic priests would learn greek to better understand the scripture(lots of them still do it today)... but it wasnt the common language in the empire... that was either turkish or some form of arabic since islam was far more dominant in the ottoman empire

[@TheHunterOfYharnam]

@@MojoBonzo i doubt he wanted a balkan federation
he wanted a greek kingdom all the way to the river danube
since we are the byzantines
and there were still greeks all the way to romania before they were kicked due to nationalistic movements
from all the places outside of modern greece

[@MojoBonzo]

​ first of all forget kingdoms... he wasnt into that at all(not even by a longshot)... he was a born of the french revolution he believed in republicanism and the people, all his work was about educating the common people... he sure was pro-greek cultural domination, BUT in a state that includes lands where the greeks wouldnt be the majority of the state... and most of all he wanted an independent state of orthodox people... back then this was the idea in the balkans... its later that it becomes apparent that nobody wanted to cooperate with eachother and nationstates became the norm... at first it wasnt like that at all...

[@chriskw4362]

@@MojoBonzo My apologies if i was misunderstood as yes he wanted a federation. I used the term Kingdom with the intention to show the power of he Greek language. Again that was my bad! But my focus on the previews comment was on the language and nothing else. I wanted to point out that the Greek language managed to survive even in conditions were the rulers didn't care like the Romans did.

[@andrem1403]

The real and I think extremely interesting "what would happen if" questions for Romans and Greeks are:
1. What would have happened if the empire created by Alexander the Great had never fallen?
2. What would have happened if Pyrrhus had managed to defeat and conquer Rome?

[@eem8039]

Last words of Caesar were in greek

[@temogen2]

Emporar Hercules, he did but it officially...that greek language is the language of the empire, instead of Latin.

[@marcelcostache2504]

well when what is left of your empire are mostly greek speaking provinces sure you will change the language.

[@temogen2]

@@user-be4nm1fq5w
thanks a lot.
and what did they spoke in Anatolia?

[@7trelosgauros7]

In South Italy even nowadays most of the population there have knowledge of the greek language.
Some of them have greek routes as well.

[@7trelosgauros7]

@Geremia Russo
I meant Sicelia .
Some of them speak the "Grico Language" .
(Greek - Italian)

[@7trelosgauros7]

@Geremia Russo Ok , I didnt meant to disrespect the Italian people and their DNA or something... I just didnt use the correct expression. Some , not most . 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@KameTurtle_]

I want to play dwarf fortress now. That music though.

[@menaseven9093]

I am happy to learn that the Greek language was the second language and the intellectual language of the Roman Empire.

[@RealBonnieBlue]

They spoke Greek because they were Greeks. Romans is the political name by which the Greeks were known during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The name originally signified the inhabitants of the city of Rome in Italy, but with the elevation of the Greeks in the Roman Empire, it soon lost its connection with the Latins. In 212 AD, Emperor Caracalla's Constitutio Antoniniana granted all free people in all Roman provinces citizenship.
However, the Greeks (Imperium Graecorum/Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantine Empire) transmogrified their newly acquired political title (Romans) and began to refer to themselves as Romioi (Romios/Ρωμιός for singular). The new term was created in order to establish a dualistic identity that represented the Greeks' Roman citizenship, as well as their Hellenic ancestry, culture, and language.
Up until the early 7th century, when the Empire still extended over large areas and many peoples, the use of the name Roman always indicated citizenship and never descent.

[@histguy101]

Romioi, Romei, Romanos, Romanus, Romanorum, Romanoros, Romania, all mean the same thing: Roman, Romans, Land of the Romans, etc.
The didn't invent some new type of way to say "Romans," nor were they some new people that weren't Romans before. Constantinople was New Rome, and it house the Roman Emperor and his court, along with the Roman Senate, and Roman Bureaucracy, and controlled the Roman army.
You're projecting a distinction on to a mere transliteration. Like, it just means "Roman." When they used Latin to refer to themselves(and they continued to use Latin throughout the Medieval era, on coins, on titular, in the army...) the emperor, the state, the Republic, etc, they didn't have some distinct alternate spellings to intentionally separate themselves from old Rome.
Yes, the Greek language eventually overshadowed Latin, but never fully supplanted it, and there never was a time where Greek wasn't used officially by the Romans.
Italy had a significant Greek speaking population up to the modern era, and Greece, Macedonia, Thrace, etc, also had a significant Latin speaking population up to modern times. Both in fact still exist today, but in ever decreasing numbers since the modern states of Italy and Greece were formed.

[@wankawanka3053]

​@@histguy101 ethnically they were greeks and hellenised people roman had stopped being an ethnic term for a long time

[@davidbalogun7569]

To be fair there were quite a few eastern emperors who were fluent in Latin after Justianian. I mean Heraclius who many people say ended the use of Latin was literally from North Africa

[@LondonPower]

During most of the Middle Ages, the Byzantine Greeks self-identified as Rhōmaîoi (Ῥωμαῖοι, "Romans", meaning citizens of the Roman Empire), a term which in the Greek language had become synonymous with Christian Greeks. The Latinizing term Graikoí (Γραικοί, "Greeks") was also used, though its use was less common, and nonexistent in official Byzantine political correspondence, prior to the Fourth Crusade of 1204. While this Latin term for the ancient Hellenes could be used neutrally, its use by Westerners from the 9th century onwards in order to challenge Byzantine claims to ancient Roman heritage rendered it a derogatory exonym for the Byzantines who barely used it, mostly in contexts relating to the West, such as texts relating to the Council of Florence, to present the Western viewpoint. The ancient name Hellenes was synonymous to "pagan" in popular use, but was revived as an ethnonym in the Middle Byzantine period (11th century).while in the West the term "Roman" acquired a new meaning in connection with the Catholic Church and the Bishop of Rome, the Greek form "Romaioi" remained attached to the Greeks of the Eastern Roman Empire.The term "Byzantine Greeks" is an exonym applied by later historians like Hieronymus Wolf; "Byzantine" citizens continued to call themselves Romaioi (Romans) in their language.Despite the shift in terminology in the West, the Byzantines Empire's eastern neighbors, such as the Arabs, continued to refer to the Byzantines as "Romans", as for instance in the 30th Surah of the Quran (Ar-Rum). The signifier "Roman" (Rum millet, "Roman nation") was also used by the Byzantines' later Ottoman rivals, and its Turkish equivalent Rûm, "Roman", continues to be used officially by the government of Turkey to denote the Greek Orthodox natives (Rumlar) of Istanbul, as well as the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (Turkish: Rum Ortodoks Patrikhanesi, "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate

[@HVLLOWS1999]

🔥

[@champosvezast.v.4355]

...despite being Romans...???
What history did they teach you out there?