Deer fighting a snake At the Great Palace Mosaic Museum

Snowy day at the Hippodrome of Constantinople/modern Atmeydanı in Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Tlos, an ancient Lycian city of Tlawa and apparently the Hittite Dalawa, was later associated with the mythic Bellerophon. The site includes remains of a stadium, theater, temple, and early Byzantine church. Tlos was a bishopric in Late Antiquity. Snow could be seen on Taurus Mountains today.

Health, Life, Joy, Peace, Good Cheer, Hope Υγεία, Ζωή, Χαρά, Ειρήνη, Ευθυμία, Ελπίς 4th-century mosaic from Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum) at the British Museum

Prayer Inscription from the Theodosian Walls Χριστὲ ὦ Θεός, ἀτάραχον καὶ ἀπολέμιτον φύλα[ττε] τὴν πόλιν σου, νήκας δορούμενος τῦς βασιλεῦσιν ἡμõν Video of inscription read in Greek with English translation subtitles youtu.be/wgxuxVamLRE

The Magi following the Star of Bethlehem and meeting King Herod From Chora/Kariye Camii

Hagia Sophia was inaugurated by Justinian on December 27, 537

Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem “Description of the Journey from Constance to Jerusalem” by Konrad Grünenberg (c. 1487) Badische Landesbibliothek Karlsruhe

The Nativity of Christ at Chora

Video on the Nativity of Christ at Chora youtu.be/PDv742OVmSQ

Nativity of Christ - Mosaics from the Middle Byzantine Monastery of Hosios Loukas

Magi at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna

"Vue générale de l'Aquéduc de Valens" Photo by Guillaume Berggren (c. 1880s) LOC

Nikephoros III Botaneiates and Maria of Alania (c. 1080) From BnF Coislin 79 (John Chrysostom Homilies)

Roman Nymphaeum (Fountain) of Sagalassos Real Archaeology / AI AI might have its uses, but it is more than misleading when it comes to art history, archaeology and many other related fields. While Roman fountain of Sagalassos is located far from the sea at a quite high altitude, AI images show..

Gold coin (nomisma histamenon) of Basil II and Constantine VIII At Dumbarton Oaks Basil II died in Constantinople on December 15, 1025.

Short video on the Rotunda of Thessaloniki youtu.be/O97JnVNVzrE

Parekklesion (funerary chapel) of Michael Tarchaneiotes Glabas (c. 1235-c. 1305) added to the Monastery of the Theotokos Pammakaristos (Mother of God the All-Blessed), later Fethiye Camii

Phoenix and archangel - Late Antique mosaics from the Rotunda of Thessaloniki One of the major landmarks of the Thessaloniki, the Rotunda is often identified as the Mausoleum of Galerius (who made Thessaloniki an imperial residence around 300) and later converted into a church.

The Nativity and other scenes from the Life of Christ from 10th-century Byzantine triptych At the Louvre

Monuments of Constantinople From "Bilder aus dem türkischen Volksleben" Heinrich Hendrowski (1575-1600) Codex Vidobonensis 8626, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek

Polychrome tiles with St. Nicholas, St. Panteleimon, St. John the Baptist, and Enthroned Christ with two Archangels at Walters Art Museum in Baltimore These tiles were purchased in the Grand Bazaar in the 1950s. More polychrome tiles have been discovered in situ in former Byzantine churches

Fresco of the First Council of Nicaea at the Church of St. Nicholas in Myra (modern Demre), where St. Nicholas was bishop. According to tradition, St. Nicholas slapped the heretic Arius whose teaching was condemned at the First Council of Nicaea 1700 years ago.

Church of St. Nicholas in Myra (modern Demre), where St. Nicholas was bishop Today is the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra

Gorgon (Medusa) head discovered at Çemberlitaş (site of the Forum of Constantine) In the gardens of Istanbul Archaeological Museums

Mosaics of dogs From the Great Palace Mosaic Museum

Late 11th-century katholikon of Kaisariani Monastery on Mount Hymettos on the outskirts of Athens

Hagia Sophia, Nuruosmaniye Mosque, Blue (Sultanahmet) Mosque, Column of Constantine, the Grand Bazaar, and the Sea of Marmara From "Panorama of Constantinople" by Robertson & Beato (1854)

Column of Constantine (Çemberlitaş) youtu.be/j6cFTl5IK24

Mosaic cornucopia-like scroll borders with various fruits and animals From the Great Palace Mosaic Museum

Çobançeşme Bridge on the southern branch of the Via Egnatia crosses the St. Mamas Stream (Ayamama Deresi). While it has been dated to the Ottoman era, the Christogram in the keystone of its main arch suggests it was originally constructed in Late Antiquity.

Capital with winged horses From the Hippodrome of Constantinople (first half 6th century) At Istanbul Archaeological Museums

Reused Medusa heads from the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) built by Justinian in the 6th century. Once again, a special thanks to Dr. Kerim Altuğ for the visit.

Ainos (modern Enez/Edirne) was a fortified city on the Hebros (Maritsa/Meriç) River near the Aegean coast. Alexios I used it as his headquarters during his wars against the Pechenegs. After the Ottoman conquest of Morea (Peloponnese), Ainos was granted to the deposed despotes Demetrios Palaiologos.

Hippodrome at Constantinople in mid-16th century Engraving from Onofrio Panvinio “De ludis circensibus” (published 1600)

Basilica A, ambo of Basilica B, and marble pieces from churches of Philippi, city of eastern Macedonia located on the Via Egnatia, the main Roman road running through the Balkans

The Kırkçeşme aqueduct system, which brought water from the Belgrade Forest north of Ottoman Konstantiniyye (modern Istanbul), was built by the architect Sinan between 1554 and 1563. It likely corresponds to the aqueduct system built by Hadrian (117-138) to supply Byzantium...

Binbirdirek (“Thousand and One Column”) Cistern, originally located near the Hippodrome of Constantinople, is the second largest surviving covered cistern in modern Istanbul. Old images by Guillaume Berggren (1870s),Thomas Allom (1836), and W.H. Bartlett (1838)

Cross and decorative mosaics from the narthex of Hagia Sophia

Apse Mosaic of Christ Hyperagathos in funery chapel at former Pammakaristos/Fetihye Camii

Southern wall of San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica) by the Porphyry Tetrarchs and Porta della Carta, the entrance of the Doge's Palace in Venice

Macellum of Durrës (historic Dyrrachium) was a circular market probably built by Anastasios I (491-518), who was born there. The podium at its center likely had a statue of Anastasios I. Solidus [gold coin] of Anastasios I from Dumbarton Oaks added to the final image.

Icon with Christ and St. Menas From 8th-century Egypt Now at the Louvre Today is the feast day of St. Menas of Egypt

Lentiana, a fortified site mentioned in Byzantine sources, is likely the castle ruins near Tophisar in Bursa Province (in historic Mysia/Hellespont)

Lake Basilica and its tombs at İznik/historic Nicaea In 2014, a Late Antique basilica church was discovered submerged underwater in İznik Lake. The church was located outside the walls of Nicaea, south of its lake harbor. Photos from yesterday’s visit (and image Google Maps)

"Vue de Sainte-Irène" Photo of Hagia Eirene from the roof of Hagia Sophia by Albert Gabriel (before 1934) From POP (la plateforme ouverte du patrimoine)/Ministère de la Culture France

The Palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Tekfur Sarayı) likely played an important role in the Civil War of 1341-1347 that began when John VI Kantakouzenos failed to secure the regency for John V after the death of his father Andronikos III in 1341.

Pendant of Empress Maria (c. 400) at the Louvre Maria was the wife of Emperor Honorius, daughter of the patrician Stilicho and of Serena, niece of Theodosius I, and sister of Eucherius and Thermantia Latin inscription: "Stelicho, Serena, Honori, Maria, vivatis in Deo [live in God]"

Castle at Şile (historic Chele) When Andronikos I Komnenos blinded the young Alexios, son of Manuel Komnenos, he banished him to the fortified Chele in 1183. According to historian Choniates, Andronikos had a tower specifically built here as a place of exile.