Byzantine History Database

The origins of this project date back to 1981, with the establishment of the program “Byzantine History Data Bank” (later renamed “Institutions, Society, Internal and External Policy of Byzantium”), initially directed by Telemachos K. Lounghis, Emeritus Director of Research, until 2012. He was succeeded by Stylianos Lampakis, Emeritus Director of Research (2012–2018), and then by Vassiliki Vlyssidou, Emerita Director of Research, who coordinated the project until 2023.

The Byzantine History Database is an extensive digital resource comprising over 59,000 processed records drawn from at least 100 Byzantine and Latin sources (with a total of 83,100 entries—more than 900,000 links). Each record presents a Byzantine passage referring to a single historical event, accompanied by a brief summary in Modern Greek. It includes the date, referenced places and persons, parallel sources, modern bibliography, and thematic categories (e.g., economy, politics, military and ecclesiastical administration, diplomacy, family life, sciences, environment). All of these parameters (topics, persons, places, events, dates, and words) are interlinked, providing the database with the flexibility necessary for optimal scholarly use.

Within the framework of the “Anavathmis” project, a web-based application was developed, and since 2021, the database has been publicly accessible, offering multiple possibilities for both basic and—especially—advanced searches. However, the online platform currently includes only about one-third of the existing database, pending further technical processing of the remaining material. Some of the advanced search capabilities include: i) searching for specific types of places (e.g., fortresses, buildings) within a major administrative district or city; ii) tracing individuals in relation to one or more locations and a defined time period; iii) identifying places directly or indirectly linked to a specific person, subject entry, or point in time; iv) searching by thematic category. With its 279 subject entries, the database allows users to explore all areas of Byzantine history and all aspects of medieval life.