Romioi: The Byzantine Greeks and Their Misunderstood Identity

2026-02-22 - 13:05

The Byzantine Greeks had a Roman identity that bridged ancient Greece with modern times. Credit: Manuel Panselinos, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons The Byzantine Greeks are often misunderstood for historical and political reasons. To truly grasp and admire their true nature and contributions to the modern world, one must look beyond the term “Byzantine.” The term Byzantine is a much later invention, as this was a term that the Byzantine Greeks never used for themselves. 16th-century scholars came up with this term, which tried to distinguish the legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire from the Western Roman Empire, which eventually collapsed, leaving the East to continue the Roman heritage. Many people often forget that the Byzantines viewed themselves as ”Romaioi” or “Romioi” which is Greek for ”Romans.” This makes them heirs to ancient Greece and Roman Empire. This is why their journey in history is a fascinating blend of an evolving culture, Christian faith, and political machinations. When did the Byzantine Greeks start to be distinctive? The Byzantine Greeks started to become a distinctive ethnic group following the establishment of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Eastern part of the Roman Empire was the one that survived the collapse of the Western Empire in 476 AD. Centred in Constantinople they continued to uphold Roman law, governance traditions, and imperial grandeur. For the contemporaries of the time, they were nothing more than the continuation of the mighty Romans. However, the major distinction that separated them from the past of the Western Roman Empire was that their daily language was Greek, a shift from Latin that became official under Emperor Heraclius in the 7th century AD. Ancient Greek inscription on a Byzantine mosaic. Credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 This peculiar situation, where the mighty Roman Empire was Hellenized culturally and linguistically created a unique identity. A politically Roman, culturally Greek, and devoutly Christian nation. Contrary to what many people believe, the term “Byzantine” was never used during their era as it was a term that had no real use in their lives. To them, their empire was simply the continuation of Rome’s proud past. This defined dual identity allowed them to bridge ancient Greece and the Roman world, preserving classical knowledge and establishing new traditions. The Byzantines were a bridge from classical antiquity to modern times The Byzantine society quite literally became a sanctuary, where ancient Greek texts found a safe haven. As war and financial and political instability ravaged Europe, scholars in Constantinople and other places with strong monastic presence were safe to operate and meticulously copy works by Plato, Aristotle, and Homer, among others. These manuscripts were later passed on to Renaissance Italy and contributed to Europe’s intellectual rebirth. Without the hard work of the Byzantine Greeks, much of the wisdom of the ancient world might have been lost. The Byzantine Greeks, whose intellectual rigor and passion shaped Eastern Orthodox Christianity into what is now known as the Greek Orthodox religion, faced significant geopolitical and military rivalries. Surrounded by adversaries, including Persian armies and Arab caliphates, they not only survived but thrived. Scholars of the Renaissance, including the Greek academic Demetrios Chalkondyles (pictured far right). Credit: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain Their military ingenuity resulted in tools like the Greek fire, a flammable naval weapon that safeguarded Constantinople for centuries and became the absolute nightmarish fear of all potential adversaries. Administratively, the Byzantine Greeks mastered the Roman bureaucracy, balancing between restricted local and provincial governance with the absolute centralized authority and control by the Emperor and his or her entourage. The cultural exchange also defined their empire. Missionaries such as Cyril and Methodius invented the Cyrillic script, spreading Orthodox Christianity to Slavic nations, thus making the Byzantine Greeks their spiritual godparents. Meanwhile, Hagia Sophia stands as one of the most impressive architectural marvels of all time, symbolizing both divine grandeur and imperial power.