Byzantine Sardinia AD534-1073 | 20,000 Subscriber Special

A history of Sardinia while it was part of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Chapters:
00:00 The Roman Conquest
01:48 Byzantine Sardina in the Sixth Century
06:48 An Island Under Siege
16:02 Byzantine Sardinia in the Middle Ages
19:12 Sardinia and Constantinople
22:29 The Four Iudices of Sardinia?
25:58 The End of Byzantine Sardinia
Bibliography:
Primary Sources
Liber Pontificalis, translated by R. Davis, The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis): The Ancient Biographies of First Ninety Roman Bishops to AD 715 - Revised Third Edition, (2010).
Luidprand of Cremona, Works, Translated by Paolo Squatriti, (2007).
Jean Durliat, “Taxes sur l’entree des marchandises dans la cite de Carales-Cagliari a l’epoque byzantine (582-602),” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 36 (1982), pp. 1-14.
Mansi, J. D., edition, (1755), Schaff, P and Wace, H. translation, (1900),
Sacrorum conciliorum:nova et amplissima collectio. Vol. XI, 753-754.
Procopius of Caesarea, History of the Wars, Revised edition by A. Kaldellis (2014).
Scholarship
Cosentino, S., A Companion to Byzantine Italy, (2021).
Consentino, S. 'Re-Analysing Some Byzantine Bullae From Sardinia' in
Berliner Byzantinistische Studien 7, 2007).
Consentino, S. (2004) 'Byzantine Sardinian Between West and East: Features of a Regional Culture' in Millennium 1 2004: 329-367.
Hobart, M., A Companion to Sardinian History, 500-1500, (2017).
Zuckerman, C., 'Learning from the Enemy and More: Studies in 'Dark Centuries' Byzantium' in Millennium 2, (2005), 79-136.
Email
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Discord
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If you would like to support Eastern Roman History, I have a Patreon:
/ easternromanh. .
Music Credits:
'Western Greek Theme' and 'Eastern Greek Theme' by Nick Wylie and Morgan Casey from Europa Barbarorum: A Modification of Rome Total War.
'Battle at Witch Creek' by Duane Decker from Rise of Nations by Big Huge Games.
'War Drums from the East' and 'Siege of Winter' by Todd Masten from Age of Empires: Definitive Edition by Forgotten Empires.
'Medieval Melody' by Stephen and David Rippey from Age of Empires by Ensemble Studios.
All images used are for educational purposes, if I have used a piece of art and you would like me to credit you, please contact me and I shall do so.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

When we did the poll, the Fall of Byzantine Egypt came in a close second, and as I myself am a lover of ancient Egypt I will make a video about it in the not too distant future. Thank you to everyone for helping me get this far and see you at the next milestone.

[@goshlike76]

That was fascinating. What about the city of Philadelphia though? I think itself has a most intriguing story.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Indeed, the issue is trying to piece together its history, which is difficult.@@goshlike76

[@LondonPower]

Is interesting to see how alexandria fell to Arabs with betrayal from the Bishop of the city

[@vitorpereira9515]

The fact that Sardinia has withstood numerous Arab invasions is incredibly admirable. The people of Sardinia are resilient and worthy of respect.

[@Ameer-dj5gj]

...unlike (((Portugal)))

[@bartekutzig]

Like Ukrainians repelling the Orcs against the odds.

[@vitorpereira9515]

@@bartekutzig The Russians are not the enemy, Putin is the enemy. The Russians are forced to fight by that tyrant's megalomania and those who refuse to fight are executed as deserters. He stole his people freedom and now wants to do the same to the Ukrainians. He must be stopped!

[@patrickrhea6348]

​@@bartekutzigUkraine is losing badly right now.

[@dimitriygeorgievich1797]

@@bartekutzig 🐖

[@matijas7994]

Imagine if sardinia remained well connected to byzantium to the point where they would try to legitimise themselves as succesors of rome after the fall of constantinopole

[@Thebois753]

Eastern Rome**

[@matijas7994]

@@Thebois753 its a handfull to write

[@Thebois753]

@@matijas7994 Fair

[@Deailon]

So basically Sardinia was part of a Roman Empire longer than Rome (almost exactly 700 years in the West and over 500 years in the East).

[@Baibairs48]

Really hope you make more videos like this👍, like Byzantine Venice,Byzantine Crimea,Byzantine Corsica

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I did make a video about the history of Theodoro. which you can see here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWG9f5qGbLVqY5Y

[@rickyyacine4818]

plz do byzantine north africa or south spain byzantine@@EasternRomanHistory

[@a.s.7936]

This is very interesting. I thought that Sardinia simply drifted into independence after the loss of Sicily but the video suggests that the Romans still had some nominal authority over the island regardless of the harshness of making contact.

[@MegaTang1234]

16:27 It's really interesting for me to be hearing the term "Hellenization" used outside the Hellenistic era.

[@IlleScrutator]

6:05 The "Barbaricini" name doesn't come from the berbers (although etimologically related) but from "Barbaria", "Land of the Barbarians", a term the romans used since republican times for the rugged and mountainous interior inhabited by sardinians that never accepted roman rule, as opposed to "Romania", the coastal area of the island that was instead integrated with the wider empire. Instead, according to Procopius, berber rebels and raiders were relocated by the vandal king Gaiseric in the Sulcis coastal region (unrelated to Barbaria) to free his african possessions from inconvenient elements and to weaken wannabe sardinian rebels; a century later Solomon, domesticus of Belisarius, would crush their descendants in the Vandalic War.

[@LondonPower]

You are correct in every aspect

[@LondonPower]

We still call here in Greece the coast of North Africa except Egypt as Barbaria

[@ban1176]

Balkan people were also called barbaric from both Romans and Greece's

[@ban1176]

And what is more interesting is that we don't know what language were Sardinians using before Romans

[@uztulei]

Mistificante, la Sardegna parla una lingua neolatina la più conservativa e nell'ambito sardo quella della barbaria è ancora più simile al latino , tutta la Sardegna venne governata dai romani esistono strade e abitato di epoca romana anche nell' interno della Sardegna, villaggi nuragici che dimostrano la romanizzazione di questi abitati, questo è avvenuto al livello culturale, perché la genetica ha dimostrato che hanno mantenuto una sostanziale continuità con le popolazioni nuragiche, inoltre, la cosiddetta dominazione vandala è durata appena 80 anni insignificante ,passando sotto bisanzio, ,dalla quale venne sostanzialmente abbandonata, da qui naquero i giudicati sardi regni autonomi sardi. Si può affermare che la Sardegna unica in Europa e nell' ambito dell' impero romano è rimasta sempre nella classicità.

[@porygonyt8014]

LETS GO I ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT BYZANTINE AND JUDICATE SARDINIA

[@azariahisrael5632]

My mother's mtdna is T2B2 and says it most commonly found in Sardina. I joke with my very religious grandmother that she is the decendant of the Vandals...Could be a Roman tho. My great grandmothers surname is Belknap which is Norman surname and is haplogroup U106 but who knows where the maternal line leads to ultimately. Probably Gallo Roman ancestors.

[@andreascovano7742]

Comment for the algorithm!

[@genfreed2338]

Engagement with comment and like

[@Wakobear.]

How did the Byzantines control Sardinia after the loss of Sicily in late 9th century?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Since the island was already culturally Roman and sought their authority from Constantinople, the islanders were keen to maintain their link to Constantinople. Equally it seems that the empire, using ships, could send letters and communicate, possibly appoint locals as the Archon and bestow honours and titles from Constantinople. There was also a military garrison on the island of perhaps some 1000 men and a fleet so it could protect itself, and possibly was used from western Mediterranean sea operations. Although the empire had lost Sicily they still owned Calabria and much of southern Italy, so communication was not suddenly cut off. It is notable that it is around the time that Byzantines lost Italy that Sardinia also slipped into independence.

[@user-di3fb6np4t]

Αξιοθαύμαστο....επειδή στην ιστορία δεν γνωρίζαμε τίποτα για την βυζαντινή ιστορία της Σαρδηνίας....

[@rickyyacine4818]

@@user-di3fb6np4t Byzantine north Africa and Byzantine spain too

[@TH495]

What an amazing topic! Thanks a lot!

[@digenesakritas8234]

Great work, ERH!! Really appreciated the theme music from Age of Empires I..

[@coltonstrickland7750]

Love these love this channel bro

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Great video keep it up you're doing amazing things 😁👍

[@1992zorro]

Nice video, Keep them coming.

[@viperking6573]

So many things and places I didn't know about the island where I grew up 😊 thank you very much for the video! You have a new subscriber!

[@lauradekeyzer1945]

Thank you for bringing forward this fantastic topic!

[@TukozAki]

Indeed enormously interesting 🙂👍 From an ex historian (in La Sorbonne, France) disgusted by the nombrilistic approach of history studies and research in European universities.

[@tedn6855]

Always learned bari was end of byzantine ryle in italy. Sardinia never gets mentioned even though it lasted 2 more years. Thans for the informative video.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

1073 is when we know Sardinia was independent and fallen into the role of the four Iudices so it is not quite accurate to say Sardinia lasted until 1073 just that it was independent by then. It is likely that Sardinia slipped into independence at an earlier time, unfortunately, we just don't know exactly when.

[@tedn6855]

@EasternRomanHistory wiki has byzantine rule ending in early 9th century with no source posted of course.

[@ralambosontiavina7372]

Excellent work !

[@michaeladu6120]

Great video

[@LuizfTri99]

Meus parabéns pelo ótimo vídeo, seu canal aborda todos os tópicos aos quais eu tinha muita curiosidade, você consegue satisfazer minha curiosidade em todos os temas sobre os Romanos Orientais... parabéns pelo trabalho, me tornei mais um inscrito!

[@Qwerty.240]

Interesting channel. I hope your channel grows bigger very soon. Cheers from India

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you.

[@braedenallen7013]

Amazing video, amazing channel

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you.

[@PrinceofThessaly]

Love more obscure history like this-still looking forward to a byzantine egypt video!

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Indeed, It shall be a great video to make.

[@andreslebon3869]

From my readings Alghero's name does not come from Al'hgar or Al-Jazāʾir as for Algeria but from Aleguerium, which is a mediaeval Latin word meaning "stagnation of algae" or in Italian "alghe"="seaweeds" for the considerable quantity deposited on its sandy coast. Un saluto from Sardinia.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you for the comment. That is interesting. I was following the research of professor Cosentino for the etymology but I am sure multiple factors had a hand in making the place names of Sardinia. Just look at York.

[@Kyle_Schaff]

Have you done a video on what ERH means to you? Like, what you emotionally get out of it. What stories stick with you the most. What draws you here

[@deadnextdoor1]

Great video, Id love to see Byzantine Sicily if you haven’t already touched on that.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

It certainly would be a good one to do. Thank you.

[@christianorthodoxy4769]

🔥

[@dvrsify1]

You’re awesome

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you, you are awesome too.

[@LondonPower]

That's very interesting topic here in Greece we still call ourselves byzantines and considered Eastern Roman Empire our country.

[@fegeleindux3471]

Ok but the term Bizantine is a more recent invention, they probably called themselves Romans. If you considered yourselves to be Romans you should have surrendered to Mussolini-s army and be ruled by Rome once again ....... OK I-m joking.

[@LondonPower]

@@fegeleindux3471 To be precise the older generation untill the 70s they used to call themselves Romios or Romaios, Romioi plural and Romeiko Romiosini Romania the Greece

[@chris-lk4ml]

Thanks. Great work. For some reasons I ignored sardinia in my studies. After this video I ask me why i did that... O.o

[@dyasion]

What was going on in Corsica at the time? Great video btw.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

The Franks conquered Corsica in AD774. Thank you , I am glad you enjoyed it.

[@Theodorivs]

Likely more peaceful because it’s very mountainous and has decent location.

[@larry3591]

Awsome

[@shaifunnessa7816]

Byzantine empire clothing and fashion history please make video

[@WarDogMadness]

The sardinia kings early medieval silk stockings and trousers chefs kiss gear.

[@Rocinante2300]

If you could live in any Byzantine province at it’s height, which would it be?

[@wohendumwing3ee9]

Pontus Polemoniacus province

[@MegaTang1234]

Peloponnesian province ( arguably the province that saw the least action)

[@OrthoKarter]

Medieval greek history!

[@brokenbridge6316]

I thought I'd watched this video already

[@nikolamilinovic1230]

Wow! I didn't know that ducks were so powerful then. PETA aproves.

[@allcolorsareentombedinblack]

The “Barbaricini” of whom the ruler was Hampsicora, weren't berbers. Rather, they were the native Ilienses/Sardinian tribes who resided in the modern geographical regions of Barbagia di Seulo (around the villages of Seulo, Seui, Meana Sardo, Ortueri), Mandrolisai (Belvì, Desulo, Aritzo, Atzara and Sorgono), Barbagia di Ollolai (where the ruins of the ancient settlement of Tiscali are located and you can find the modern towns of Oliena, Orgosolo, Mamoiada, Fonni, Ollolai and so on and so forth) Alta (High) Ogliastra (especially the towns of Arzana, Talana, Urzulei and Ilbono) and Bassa (Lower) Baronìa (where the villages of Galte - now Galtellì - Orosei and Onifai were located).

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

6% tax! That's ridiculous! They should protest.

[@fritoss3437]

Would be cool if you do the same with spain and N.A

[@BernasLL]

Now do Byzantine Spain (and a bit of Portugal) :D

[@rickyyacine4818]

Byzantine spain > visigoth spain

[@HistoryandEngineering]

Fascinating! The History of Byzantium Podcast skipped most of these parts of roman history. Much like how the History of Rome Podcast ignored the roman invasion of Arabia Felix and Meroe in modern day Sudan during the reign of Augustus. Obscure frontier roman provinces are always interesting. Good examples are the roman province of agre decumates, roman colchis, modern day wales, modern day Brittany in the late roman empire, Nabataea, Byzantine Spain, Sardinia, corsica, Balearic islands, and that small upper part of the old Mauretania Tingitana. Makes you wonder what happened to those provinces and when did they fell to enemy invasions? I'm currently listening to the civil war between Thomas the Slav and Michael of Amorium in the History of Byzantium Podcast. Patiently waiting for your 9th century episodes

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I hope you enjoy the history of Byzantium's podcast. I was largely able to do a video on Sardinia because there have been several recent books and articles that allowed me to do so, if I was having to do it from scratch I doubt I would know where to start. I plan on making a video on Leo V in the not too distant future. Then I can cover the Amorians.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Our country's ruled by Vandals too.

[@w0lfgm]

Still there is no good video about monetary history - so here an idea for You. (It would be nice to have it in next year)

[@Georgieastra]

Corsica is very close to Sardinia. Did Corsica also remain under Byzantine authority?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

In the late eighth century Corsica was conquered by the Franks, so it did until then.

[@TrajGreekFire]

reupload?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Yes, I had not noticed that one of the quotes was completely wrong and redid it.

[@TrajGreekFire]

@@EasternRomanHistory what about that Justinian statue with Theodosius written on it

[@EasternRomanHistory]

​@@TrajGreekFire The equestrian statue of Justinian was put on the top of the column of Justinian I. The horse was probably reused from an earlier statue but it is most definitely Justinian I.

[@Storm-1.]

This wonderful empire have the right to call every other empire babaric.

[@rickyyacine4818]

l thought it was abounded in 830s ad

[@latronemastrucato7288]

I'm not certain saint Sophia is an eastern saint. Saint Sophia means Holly wisdom and usually pretains to Christ, if I'm not mistaken. But a name like saint Sophia, like the most well known Hagia Sophia, is a typically eastern name, other ones are for example in Sofia, Bulgaria, named after the Hagia Sofia, present in that city.

[@LeutherGreengager-ip1uw]

Sofia/Lat. rendering 'Sophia' is Wisdom in Gk. 'Ayia Sofia' literally means Holy Wisdom in the same language. It is in this sense as 'the Holy Wisdom' (of God) that the Basilica in Constantinople was built and dedicated. The personage St. Sophia was a Roman-born Greek woman who endured in witnessing the martyrdom of her three young daughters Poistis (Faith) Elpis/Elpida (Hope) and Agape (Love). She herself gave up her spirit at the tomb of her Virgin Martyr daughters. Feastday: 17th. September.

[@dimitriosvlissides5781]

There is a Church of Agia Sophia and her three daughters just across the Parthenon in Athens Greece The street name is Dyonisiou Aeropagitou if you ever go there is a very nice little church

[@LeutherGreengager-ip1uw]

@@dimitriosvlissides5781 thank you ever so much, Dimitry! I'll relay this to a Sofia who is hoping to visit the Greek capital. ☦️ Bless.

[@Killerqueen69420]

algorithm comment

[@Mehdinachky]

Can you do a video about Byzantine Balkans or Bosnia. I know its complicated but there is no real knowledge on it.

[@genfreed2338]

Bump

[@JoeSmith-sl9bq]

Not a fan of using the word Byzantine but amazing video

[@maru-dy5ld]

why's that?

[@Ntopios]

​@@maru-dy5ldIt's not the real name.

[@maru-dy5ld]

then what is?@@Ntopios

[@Ntopios]

@@maru-dy5ld The term "Byzantine " came up many years after the fall of the empire. The real name is the Roman Empire, as it's the same Empire that was founded in antiquity. It never seized to exist. Another name for it is the Eastern Roman Empire, used to distinguish it from the Latin western part that fell at 476. I understand that the word Byzantine is more common & easy to use, but it's just not right. The people called themselves only as Romans. The empire overall was know as the Roman Empire, Romania, or empire of the Greeks in the West. Never as Byzantine.

[@maru-dy5ld]

@@Ntopios oh okay makes sense that they would still call themselves roman, thanks for the answer

[@elsahida5]

Who were these vandals that ruled sardinia? What's the dialect they speak?

[@noneednoneed5752]

Who the hell is lacuna ?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

A Lacuna is the name for a lost part of a text. My saying lacuna indicates that the next part of the text no longer exists in a legible form.

[@noneednoneed5752]

@@EasternRomanHistory Thanks, actually it provides importante context, for without saying this I would imagine the text was complete and maybe atribute excecissve authority to the parts we have, so there is so much we don't know

[@strahinjastevic7480]

Would love to head your opinion on the use of the name "Byzantine" It has been proven that it's a sham and a fabrication yet people still insist on calling that state by that name even though it iwas called the Eastern Roman Empire, by greeks and everyone around them.

[@bennygohome4576]

It’s useful to distinguish between the Latin speaking Mediterranean empire and its Greek speaking eastern Mediterranean rump state

[@strahinjastevic7480]

@@bennygohome4576 we should never endorse a fabrication that was made to belittle the state.

[@bb1111116]

@@strahinjastevic7480 ; ​​I agree with your comments. While it existed, the divided Empire in the east was called the Eastern Roman Empire. The term Byzantine Empire was not used for the Eastern Roman Empire until 1557 when the book, Corpus Historiae Byzantinae, by Hieronymus Wolf was published. * The Greek language was spoken in many parts of the Roman Republic and Empire. When southern Italy was absorbed by the Roman Republic, much of it was Greek speaking. The New Testament is written in Greek. The Roman citizen, the apostle Paul/Saul, could speak Greek and he wrote in Greek. His letter to the Romans was written in Greek and educated Roman citizens could understand it because they spoke and read Greek. * The city of Rome did not need to be in the Roman Empire. The capital of the Empire could be moved. In AD 408, Emperor Honorius transferred the capital of the Western Roman Empire from Rome to Ravenna. Constantinople served as the capital when Justinian I took back the city of Rome. - Greek speakers were in Anatolia/Greece and also in Persia all the way to the border of India because of Alexander the Great. - Greek speakers were in the Middle-east and Egypt. That’s why in Egypt there was a great city and library in Alexandria named after Alexander. - Greek art, philosophy and culture spread throughout the educated society of the Roman Republic and Empire. - Even with the interruptions from the 4th Crusade, the Eastern Roman Empire finally ended with the fall of Constantinople.

[@viperking6573]

It wasn't actually called Eastern Roman Empire, but just Roman Empire, Empire of Romania or other names depending on the people ( empire of the Greeks by the pope iirc )

[@strahinjastevic7480]

@@viperking6573 yeah, my mistake

[@rizzochuenringe669]

It's called DUX, not dax. DUX like duke.

[@Thebois753]

Eastern Roman sardinia*

[@uztulei]

Sardinia no est italia de facto

[@fabriziopastorino3792]

when you make these videos on the history of other peoples, it would be simple to buy a history book, it starts the history of Sardinia from 235 BC with the Carthaginians, a pity that the oldest western civilization existed on the island 1800 years earlier called nuragic, to make you understand 3500 years ago my ancestors built more than 7000 towers or castles 30 meters high, the tallest buildings after the pyramids of that era, not only did they build the oldest life-size statues in the West look at them, they are called giants of monte prama, there was an older civilization that built a pyramid 6000 years ago, and concluding the city of alghero its name is of greek origin, the arabs have nothing to do with it, the fixation of foreigners is to ignore that the Arabs have not influenced our culture at all, but have forced us to fight them for centuries, study please

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I see

[@viperking6573]

There is not enough consideration on our ( sardinians ) part to research the nuragic civilization and come up with actual, realistic, evidence based knowledge on them. Because of this many loud pseudo-archeologists just give a bad rep to this still pretty unknown civilization, and we end up looking like the loud child in the corner screaming how good they are without actual evidence for it. So let's just do our part and be scientific. Same for the judicate period, the punic period, the spanish period, and so on. Comuncas, video bellissimu EasternRomanHistory ❤ grattzie pro aer contatu sa istoria nostra! ( Anyway, super video ERH ❤ thanks for having told our history! )