Posted by Powee Celdran
Welcome back to the Byzantium Blogger! For this post, I would be taking a break from my recent series on the top lists concerning Byzantine emperors and will thus return to doing an interactive article wherein this one will feature interviews with fellow content creators on Byzantine history such as myself. Now, it’s been already 2 years since I have done an article that cover interviews with other content creators and history enthusiasts and their insights on promoting and popularizing the subject. Of course, despite history being something of the past and thus something that never gets old, over these past 2 years, trends in social media have evolved and so have posting styles and strategies regarding the subject matter of history all while there too have been new creators that I have come across, and thus it is for these reasons to why I have decided to once again bring back this kind of article for my site. Now in this article, I will be interviewing 4 different history content creators on social media who I have just got the pleasure to know of and come across lately on their insights on Byzantine history and how it can be popularized not just to the small groups of scholars and historians but to a vast audience across the world coming from all kinds of backgrounds. Basically, here I will ask these 4 creators first what got them into the said subject of history- particularly Byzantine history- and why they choose to create content on it, if content creating can make the said subject popular worldwide, their tips and strategies in promoting history, and last but not least if one does not need to be a scholar or historian to share the said subject of history. Overall, the aim of this article and the interviews with these creators is really to show how history can be promoted and shared these days to everyday people through content creators on social media and not just something made only by and for scholars and historians who specialize in the field.
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Other Interview Articles from the Byzantium Blogger:
The Legacy of the Byzantine Empire, featuring an interview with 3 Byzantine history enthusiasts
Byzantine History for Everyday People- 5 people react to Byzantine history quotes
Marketing Byzantine History Part I- 3 Content Creators on Popularizing Byzantine History
Marketing Byzantine History Part II- 5 Content Creators on Popularizing Byzantine History
Interviews with Content Creators on Further Popularizing Byzantine History
Interviews with the 4 Content Creators
First of all, I shall introduce the 4 different creators that will be interviewed for this article, and though they may have different points of views when it comes to history- particularly Byzantine history- they all have a common passion for history and thus choose to create content for it. The first of the creators that will be interviewed here goes by the name Bizanten’den Masallar on Instagram (follow on Instagram @bizantenden_masallar) who I have already known for 2 years but has lately been creating fascinating content on Byzantine history using AI and surprisingly talks about the rather hidden parts of Byzantine history no one knows much about such as daily Byzantine life as well as its religious and social history.
The second of the creators that will be interviewed here goes by the name Byzantium Aeternum on Instagram (follow on Instagram @vasilia_romaion) who I have got the chance to know lately and creates content on Byzantine history using AI to create stunningly artistic images that bring the Byzantine Empire to life. This creator now through AI generated images tells the rich and fascinating story of Byzantium from the lives of its complex emperors, epic battles, plots, and more.
The third of the creators that will be interviewed here goes by the name Basileus of Hellenes and Romans on Instagram (follow on Instagram @_eastern_roman_history_) and also has the YouTube channel The Eastern Roman covering the story of Byzantium through memes. On Instagram, this creator tells the rich and fascinating story of the Byzantine Empire through engaging images whether historical ones or modern recreations or through memes to explain Byzantine history to everyday people.
Last but not the least for the creators that will be interviewed here is Natalie Mallat who on Instagram goes by the name Medieval Golden Age (follow on Instagram @medievalarabhistory) all while she too is the writer of the site Biblioteca Natalie which features countless articles on historical topics, mostly about medieval Arab history. Basically, Natalie creates very informative and engaging content on medieval Arab and sometimes Byzantine history and despite mostly featuring medieval Arab history, I still chose to interview her for this article which mostly focuses on Byzantine history due to the highly interesting nature of her content and the extensive connections and shared history between the Byzantines and Arabs.
Now, as for how the interviews will work, I will post each question that I came up with separately and below them will be each of the interviewee’s own responses to the respective 4 questions.
The Questions
1) What got you into Byzantine (and medieval Arab history for Natalie) and why did you choose to create content on it?
Bizanten’den Masallar (BM): I live in Kocaeli. Back in the day, this place was called Nicomedia and it was a Roman capital under Emperor Diocletian. It is 30km off Iznik, which is where the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea was convened; 80km off Istanbul, Constantinople, Kostantiniyye, or whatever you call it, so I’m literally living in what was once the heart of the Eastern Roman world. Also, the Byzantine Empire is well-studied in academic circles in Turkey but for the common man, it is the little rump Greek state that their ancestors constantly whipped until the jewel herself, Constantinople was taken. I want to show that the empire itself was, and still is, far more than that. That is why I post in English and Turkish. If I could do anything to change the perception of one single IG user from Turkey or abroad about Byzantium, I believe I’m doing a fine job!
Byzantium Aeternum (BA): When I was a child, history magazines that my father used to own, and later in my teenage years, strategy games, and online communities.
Basileus of Hellenes and Romans (BHR): Well, since I was little, I was into history and WWII history. In middle school I started focusing on Ancient Greek history and slowly begun studying Byzantine history through watching history videos. Here on Instagram, I started the channel back at June 2023 and really got “boosted” between September and October.
Natalie Mallat (NM): Many people love medieval history because of the events, interactions, and ideas that moved across borders. Although extraordinary, Medieval Arab history is an underrated subject today. Pre-Islamic Medieval Arabs lived in the vast realms of Arabia, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. Their political, economic, and religious role moved in the Byzantine and Sassanian orbit. With the rise of Islam came a unique phase in history. The Arabs formed the largest empire ever seen and reached new intellectual heights. The Abbasid Caliphate, with its iconic capital Baghdad founded at the heart of the ancient civilizations, was labelled by modern European scholars as “The Golden Age”. It was marked by the dominance of Islam and the Arabic language, the revival of ancient knowledge, groundbreaking scientific innovations, philosophical transformations, and an age of Arab travel and discovery. The Arabs interacted with many nations, from the Byzantines to the Persians, Europeans, Africans, Turks, Indians, and the Chinese. By creating content on Medieval Arab history, I am shedding new light on a forgotten Arab phase that might shape our modern understanding of global history. I am also inviting critical thinking and connecting with history enthusiasts.
2) Do you think Byzantine (and medieval Arab history for Natalie) can be popular worldwide through content creators like you?
BM: Compared to, say, 10 years ago it has become popular to some extent- thanks to you and a few other dedicated posters. On a personal note, the job you’ve done here and on YouTube, in particular, is absolutely amazing I’ve got to say… Can we go further? Well, of course we can, but for that to happen, I think we should start focusing what I call “beyond the pentarchy of Justinian, Constantine- the first and last, Belisarius, and Basil II”. I’m OK with popularizing these figures even further, sure, but the focus should shift to the religious, social, cultural, and financial side of the empire as there is a huge uncharted territory to be unearthed there- for the common man on social media, nor for the academicians obviously!
BA: Yes, that’s what I strive to do. Byzantine history has been stained through the centuries as either boring medieval Greek history or the Gibbon perspective of a continuous decline of the Roman Empire. By utilizing AI to get more cinematic, photorealistic images and content, I try to reach a wider audience. Pop culture is a major factor in today’s Western civilization, so by using a medium similar to “historical epics”, I try to popularize the history and world of the empire to people who otherwise would not have any contact with it!
BHR: It would definitely be if people forget about the common stereotype regarding Byzantium (Theocratic dark age state). Here in Greece in particular, we could emphasize more on late Roman scholars instead of the more famous Classical Greek ones. From what I’ve seen, Byzantium as a whole is really starting to become popular over at the US and to people who are interested into medieval history.
NM: History is already rich in content that is worth sharing. Arab and Byzantine interactions lead to a significant cultural exchange on both sides. Despite times of political unrest, diplomacy was active between Byzantium and the Arabs. Yet, only a few accounts on social media platforms show real interest in this history. Content creators can help make this topic popular, interesting, and entertaining through interactive methods and digital elements. The audience can learn from these stories and share them with their friends. Motivating them to connect to this past would challenge their views on the Arabs who are a heavily stereotyped group in the modern mind.
3) What are your tips and strategies in promoting history?
BM: I should possibly go on from where I left off in question 2. I want a major portion of my content about the Byzantine Empire to be related to the daily, religious, and social life in Byzantium. Adding content about the political and diplomatic relations of the empire with its on-and-off enemies such as Bulgars, Turks, Arabs, and Latins or how those peoples viewed the Byzantines is also something I enjoy and I have come to realize that such posts really grab the attention of my followers. I also enjoy collaborating with fellow content creators, though some with clear political agendas do make life difficult. But I mostly post what I enjoy and what I consider to be more significant in terms of promoting the lesser-known sides of the Eastern Roman Empire.
BA: Write about the basics, add details later, try to combine text with visualization. If you can find situations or events of Byzantine history that resemble modern reality or pop culture themes that are well known, try to do that and make the connection (Game of Thrones wild fire- Greek Fire for the empire). Make the history exciting without distorting its reality!
BHR: You could “improvise”. What I mean is that you could make posts about the not so popular facts about history. On the other hand, nowadays, many historical events can be covered by memes. So, I think that memes can become a modern way of promoting interesting historical facts.
NM: Posting daily content on various social media platforms will help promote history and increase engagement rates. Also, using visual aids, music, and creative illustrations will make the posts fun and attractive. I like to encourage interest by collaborating with other history accounts as well. This is an effective way to interact with a larger audience. I can learn more about others and build bridges that connect cultures and ideas. An important strategy is to have an open-minded approach towards history and to maintain high respect for other subjects. Another strategy is to share details that will spark enthusiasm and make people want to know more. This was the reason why I started my website “bibliotecanatalie.com”, dedicated to blog articles and historical research. I also welcome article collaborations and write for magazines and historical websites.
4) Do you agree that you do not need to be a scholar or historian to know so much about your subject matter and share it?
BM: I am an avid reader. I read academic articles, manuscripts from back-in-the-day times, books written centuries ago and books written even two weeks ago! Being a translator and interpreter, I believe my memory is a huge strength in that regard, so I can keep track of a new Kaldellis podcast, a 150-year-old book by Charles Oman, an abridged history by Eutropius, and an academic article published two months ago about how Byzantine-Seljuk relations affected religious cults in both sides at the very same time. Nevertheless, I do not see any harm in posting “Eastern Roman” content or a personal interpretation on a certain aspect that is not academic. When I quote academicians, I always come up with sources too, so, no, I don’t think you need to be a scholar to share such content.
BA: In this I’m conflicted. I am a post graduate student of Byzantine history, so yes, I believe that serious research is first and foremost the basis to know your subject matter. Of course, intellectual academic elites shouldn’t not exclusively hold the right to promote history, but academic way of thinking sure helps to point the right way. Having said that, anyone who holds a passion about the history of something and spends time doing serious work, even in an amateurish way, should share this work and help it reach people from around the globe. The only danger that exists in the sector of amateur history buffs is personal agendas that shouldn’t definitely apply to historical storytelling.
BHR: Being a scholar nowadays, with the wide web of the internet, is more like a prestige title because you can search for books and have a study of your own and share it on social. Still if you want to make a new theory or a professional study/claim you will need to have an academic degree at minimum.
NM: Definitely. History is not only for scholars or historians. Most people’s knowledge of history does not come from academic classrooms, but rather from movies, articles, fiction and non-fiction books, and social media platforms. In this digital age, there are no ends to people’s possibilities. We are capable of producing great works filled with creativity and passion. There are always interesting stories to tell and we should not be afraid to be involved.
Conclusion
Based on the responses of the 4 creators in this interview article, Byzantine history and/ or medieval Arab history despite being the lesser-known side of the medieval world can still have the potential to be as popular a subject the way let’s say medieval Europe or Ancient Greece and Rome is. The only thing Byzantium as well as medieval Arab history needs nowadays are content creators to popularize it in social media or websites in order to reach a wider audience from across different backgrounds and from across the world, and that way the subject matter can go beyond the perception that it is only a subject for scholars and historians. On the other hand, the responses here also show that a subject matter like Byzantium can be made more popular, accessible, and interesting to everyday people if it was explained in a more interesting way that goes beyond the stereotypes Byzantium gets as an over-religious empire with a history of continuous decline that only interests academics but rather a story of an empire that bravely fought and sustained itself for over a thousand years with many fascinating stories here and there about the lives of emperors, epic battles, and their advanced technology and culture. A subject like Byzantine history meanwhile could also be popularized to a wider audience again as the responses here say through stunning visual images if it were on social media or through engaging captions or if it could be related to pop culture of today. On the other hand, although it would be great to see Byzantium or medieval Arab history as well popularized and shared not just by historians to fellow academics but from history and enthusiasts or content creators to a wider audience of everyday people, content creators and enthusiasts too must be careful when sharing history which means it must be shared in a factual and unbiased way, and that way it can surely appeal more to everyday people across different cultures. Overall, based on the responses of the interviews here, Byzantine history (and/ or medieval Arab history) can surely not be only a subject among scholars and historians but to the wider world, though it will certainly have to take some time before topics like Byzantium and medieval Arab history can be as popular as other parts of history like Ancient Greece and Rome and medieval Europe, thus it will be the job of content creators online to do so.
Now as for me, I highly agree with the responses of the 4 creators to the questions I asked them regarding popularizing Byzantine history as well as medieval Arab history as true enough being a content creator, I believe that it is our job as content creators to make a topic like Byzantine history accessible to everyday people as true enough our followers are not exactly academics but people from different backgrounds and from different parts of the world. For me, I believe that a subject like Byzantine history which still remains not very popular and accessible outside scholars and historians can only be made popular and accessible to everyday people if it were shared on social media and websites by content creators but in a carefully researched and factual way. Meanwhile, something like Byzantine history too can be made popular and accessible worldwide if it were linked to the histories of other countries as Byzantium true enough in their very long history had been in contact with so many different parts of the world whether the kingdoms of Western Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, India, or China. On the other hand, as I already said before, a good film or series that will cover Byzantine history would be another good way to promote its history and make it well-known across the world and to everyday people, however we just have to hope and wait for that to come. Now, before finishing off I would like to thank the 4 creators interviewed here once again being Bizanten’den Masallar, Byzantium Aeternum, Basileus of Hellenes and Romans, and Natalie Mallat for their time and effort in answering the questions and also for sharing with me the same idea in making a subject like Byzantine history more popular to everyday people. Once again this is Powee Celdran, the Byzantine Time Traveler… thank you for reading this article!
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