Byzantine Empire: Reconstructed and replica flags

Last modified: 2005-06-17 by ivan sache
Keywords: byzantine empire | eagle: double-headed (black) | firesteel | letters: b (four) | cross (red) | cross | cross (blue) | cross (white) | constantine the great | nikoforos fokas | constantin ix paleologue |
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• Presentation of the flags
• Standard of Constantine the Great (323)
• Byzantine flag after 395
• Standard of Nikiforos Fokas (963-969)
• Standard of Constantine IX Paleologue (1449-1453)

See also:

• Byzantine Empire

Presentation of the flags

Some "flags" of the Byzantine Empire are displayed in the Cretan Naval Museum in Hania (Chania). Crete was part of the Byzantine Empire from 395 until 1204.
The flags are square (or nearly-square rectangles), hung from flagpoles projecting at an angle from the museum wall, just like modern flags. I don't know how historically accurate that was - presumably not. The museum didn't depict any Roman-like standards along with them.

Bruce Tindall, 20 May 1996

Standard of Constantine the Great (323)

The flag has a white field with a blue couped cross. In each corner of the cross is a B-shaped firesteel; those to the left of the cross are backwards.

Bruce Tindall, 20 May 1996