Since the latest debate is spread all over the place, let’s do a thread.
1/ Q. Why do we find 300+ references to the word “Roman” or “Romans” in the most famous work of Byz Princess Anna Komnene (“The Alexiad”)? https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/AnnaComnena-Alexiad00.asp

2/ The book is written in greek.
In introduction she poses her credentials: she characterises her Hellenic (Greek) education as TOP/EXTREME (Ἑλληνίζειν ἐς ἄκρον) quoting Greek authors (e.g. Plato Dialogues & Aristotle) and citing ZERO Roman / Latin scholarship.

3/ Can you imagine a capitalist proudly inspired by Marx? A Marxist proudly inspired by Freedman?
Why did the most well-educated “Roman” princess, proudly introduced her most famous work, with Greek scholarship & zero Latin/Roman citations? Something looks out of place here.

4/ On top of that, Anna characterises Latins (Λατῖνοι) as “arrogants”.
To summarise: she’s a “Roman”…

– that studies greek literature
– uses in the introduction only greek authors (Homer, Plato, Aristotle)
– and considers the latin culture as inferior & arrogant

5/ However, she routinely uses the word “Roman”.
Examples (in english):
– Emperor of the Romans
– Roman Empire
– Roman Army

All references come straight out of the ROMAN CIVIL CODE. They are state titles. Official [legal] references.

6/ That’s why I use the UN-China analogy. United Nations is based in New York. Byzantine christian citizens in greek territory (mostly Greeks) using titles like “Roman” 300 times is like Chinese Buddhists using the title “United Nations” 300 times. It doesn’t make them yankees.

7/ All this, to rephrase what most scholars already agree:

Byzantine “Romans” = Roman State Titles + [mainly] Greek cultural identity.
That’s why back then they called them… Greeks.

8/ Since Anna Komnene has a clear, acute, no-BS style of writing, she makes clear reference on the culture she represents.
But first of all, what is the greek word for culture? It is “παιδεία”. Meaning both “culture” and “cultural education” or just “education”.

9/ So, when Anna criticises Nilus as illiterate heretic, she claims he is “UNINITIATED INTO HELLENIC CULTURE”. (Ἀμύητος δὲ πάσης ἑλληνικῆς παιδείας).
She considers the Hellenic as the ONLY culture necessary for the initiation to the “deep meanings of the Divine writings”.

10/ And here she talks about her father, the Emperor Alexios Komnenos (named after Alexander the Great).
I let you guess what kind of culture her father was promoting throughout the “Roman Empire”.

11/ Note: The Komnenian dynasty ruled the Byzantine Empire for a period of 104 years, from 1081 to 1185. The “Grand Komnenoi” ruled in Trebizond for over 250 years, until 1461. The Palaiologoi (closely related to the Komnenoi) ruled until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

12/ In 2019: Non-Greek Macedonia. Non-Greek Byz. Non-Greek Aegean sea (natural resources). Homer from Turkey (by MIT database).
A market for carnivores eating Greece (heritage, econ, territory).
However, I explore the space of good intentions of all.

---

Source

1 / “Rome vs. Greek” complexity of Byz Empire.

Rome was like United Nations today, a title that everybody would love to appropriate. Charlemagne, King of Franks, in 800AC was crowned Emperor of Romans. The Byz King claimed he was King of Romans.

Who was the true Roman King?

2 / Keep in mind that:
– phrase “Byzantine Empire” didn’t exist
– word Rome is actually greek. From Ρώμη (power)
– Greeks never called themselves Greeks
– Byz called themselves Ῥωμηοί (modern greek national symbol) with 20+ nationalities in a central culture. Complex enough?

3 / Imagine this scenario: a Byz emperor writes a letter in greek, the official language of Byz empire, claiming the true Roman identity of his title. Now imagine a Frank cardinal or Pope answers in LATIN, from the CAPITAL of OLD ROME. What would his identity be? Chinese?

4 / Of course the Pope would answer: “c’mon man! you may be rich and all but you don’t even latin! I crowned my pal Charlemagne, King of Franks as Emperor of Romans & we’re visiting you soon for funny crusades, we’ll steal the sh*it out of your treasures. Kisses. The Pope.”

5 / And that’s why if you’re latin speaker you would name the Byzantine fire as “Greek fire”, not “Roman fire” (πυρ ρωμαϊκόν) as some Greek intellectuals would like you to say.

6 / Now the irony. Descendants of those who challenged the “Romanity” of Byz empire for 100s of years, in 2018 claim that actually the Byz empire was old-school Roman! Why? Stealing treasures is not enough. The rich Byz culture has to be stolen also. Big $$ geopolitics.

---

Source